Editor Note: This month, a broad focus is given to Ukraine
since it is the cemetery to the USDollar and the birthplace
for the Eurasian Trade Zone. Its coverage will be presented
as a special crisis report. Both Ukraine and Turkey are extremely important swing states in
the Global Paradigm Shift that refuses any longer for people
to ignore.

QUOTES ON UKRAINE

"In
1954, it took only 15 minutes for Nikita Krushchev (he of
the banging shoe at the UN floor) to give Crimea as a free
gift to Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union. In Russia,
Crimea is perceived as Russian. Nothing
will change that fact." ~ Pepe Escobar

"For
Russia,
the nation Ukraine
is home turf, but for the Western Boyz
it is a mine field." ~ The Voice

"Soros
is under investigation by multiple authorities for serious
crimes committed in financial transactions, primarily manipulating
and rigging markets. The cabal members are like barracudas.
They kill and eat indiscriminately. They are immoral and atheists
of diverse backgrounds, many even Satanic. They are champion
parasites. The public would be horrified to know what they
truly are, what they do, and who they represent." ~ The Voice (commenting in response
to claims that Soros is a key player in Ukraine
violence)

"When
the Russians demand Gold for oil payments, and the Chinese
demand to pay in Yuan currency for oil shipments, the Petro-Dollar
will be dead. The United
States will soon find itself on the extreme
defensive, isolated among the major industrialized nations
and the emerging market nations both. The Americans and British
will be recognized as the isolated scandalous hostile fascists.
Russia and China have banded together to form the axis of
a Eurasian Trade Zone, which will be born from the Ukraine situation
blowback. The US
will be left outside looking in, jerking off with the idle
hand, as stern consequence for half a century of criminal
abuse." ~ Jackass

## INTRO BACKGROUND BRIEF

◄$$$ THE BALTIC NATIONS TURN INTO FOCUS AS PUTIN IDENTIFIES THE TRAINING
GROUND LOCATION IN LITHUANIA FOR THE UKRAINE REVOLT... EXPECT SOME HARSH REACTION.
$$$

Putin has set his sights on Lithuania and Poland. The Russian President accused the two
nations on March 4th of directly providing training facilities
and free movement for the extremists who ousted Kremlin-backed
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Expect retribution.
He considers the action an unconstitutional coup. Russian
state television aired footage of a Lithuanian farm where
it claims the rebels stayed. What they do not mention is the
likely funding and direction by the CIA and Saudis, the two
states sponsoring terrorism for global export (called freedom
fighters). Soon the world will comprehend that Al-Qaeda is
a high level joint US-Saudi asset used in global terrorism.
Maybe Putin will make the disclosure, with the benefit of
Snowden NSA files. In return, the Lithuanian officials claim
that Russian Gazprom, the sole gas supplier in the Baltic
states, charges the country at least 25% more than other consumers
in Europe. Formally Lithuania has filed
lawsuits against Gazprom for more than 4 billion Litai (=US$1.6
bn), the amount the government says it overpaid. See the Bloomberg
article (CLICK HERE).

No sooner than huge gas fields are discovered in Ukraine, that the US infiltrates
with their Big Oil titans and Blackwater thugs to stir up
violence, to kill from rooftops, to pilfer funds, to kill
for purpose. To enter reality, best to replace the word Freedom
with the more appropriate reflection of reality, Fascism.
See the Russia Today article that includes some Blackwater
footage of the mercenaries on the ground in Ukraine
(CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ THE GERMAN POLITICIAN WILLY WIMMER CLAIMS A COUP D'ETAT HAS OCCURRED
IN THE UKRAINE... THE OBJECTIVE IS TO SPLIT EUROPE
ONE MORE TIME... THE WEST IS SCARED WITLESS OF THE EURASIAN
TRADE ZONE FORMING. $$$

Wimmer is a former deputy of the federal German Parliament. He belongs to a
group of German politicians with solid integrity. Financial
journalist Lars Schall talked with the former Parliamentary
State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defense in Germany. The topic
was the crisis unfolding in the Ukraine. According to Wimmer, the intention of
the United States
and its allies as seen in the Ukraine
is to split Europe one more time. If
the grand prize of Europe unites with Russia
& China,
then the Anglo-American chessboard will be toppled. See the
Lars Schall article (CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ THE UKRAINE NATURAL GAS FIELD
DISCOVERIES HAVE NOT BEEN SMOOTH SAILING FOR THE WESTERN ENERGY
GIANTS... CONTROVERSY OVER FRACKING HAS BEGUN, SINCE CONTAMINATION
OF GROUNDWATER SYSTEMS IS KNOWN... ROMANIA
HAS SECRETLY EXPANDED FRACKING AFTER THE PUNGESTI PROTEST
AGAINST CHEVRON AND THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT ABUSE. $$$

This is not a complete report, but an overview. Chevron was given some setbacks
in Romania
and Bulgaria.
Also many protests arose in Poland
took place against fracking, as well as against the very presence
of Chevron in their country. The protests have been increasingly
organized, as the people discovered that Pungesti is not the
sole site where hydraulic fracking is being done in their
country. They can expect the groundwater pools to light on
fire soon. The Romanian Govt appears to have been paid
off, as they granted special drilling experiment zones to
Chevron. The protest activists have been restricted in movement,
which has attracted the EU Commission attention. Neighboring
nation Bulgaria
banned fracking practices in January 2012, the second European
nation to do so. Therefore, the strategy became more aggressive
and focused on the capture of Ukraine. One must
recall that Halliburton has the global monopoly on fracking
chemicals. Their destruction of the BP Deepwater Horizon was
part of a complex scheme to eliminate offshore drilling in
the Gulf of Mexico, in favor of land-based
drilling, often with hydraulic fracking practiced. Halliburton
owned the majority of US land-based drilling contracts at
the time. The syndicate firm has extended its evil reach to
Eastern Europe.

The gas fields are a central motive for the movement
to seize Ukraine.
The nation will be gutted, in full view of Eastern
Europe. The process is well along, as per
central bank gold, other government funds, energy deposit
rights, farmland rights (including Monsanto seeds), rules
and regulations that favor the multi-national corporations
of the West. The vile solution appears to be to frack the
Ukrainians. They are vulnerable. Their oligarchs can be bought.
The gears have been in motion for over a full year. See the
Examiner article (CLICK HERE).
It is truly amazing how so-called Environmental and Global
Warming advocates like the current Romanian minister Rovana
Plumb (in center of controversy) permit natural gas fracking
projects, since the groundwater systems are totally contaminated.
Consider it part of the elite genocide programs.

◄$$$ FACTOIDS ON UKRAINE IN A QUICK PASS SUMMARY TOUR... CONSIDER THE PROJECT,
THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT, THE ECONOMIC SIDE, THE FINANCIAL FRONT,
THE SOLIDARY ELEMENT, AND THE EASTERN BACKLASH TO COME. $$$

First the overview of the project. The US Asst Secy of State Victoria Nuland
reported the USGovt has spent $5 billion in trying to subvert
Ukraine.
Whether from a leak or a boast, unsure. Such information is
not wise to disseminate, since it refutes the popular uprising
theory of organic native type in Kiev.
The Puppet Masters are busy at work. A shock will come. Big
bank loans to the West must be paid, as austerity budgets
put in place. The Ukraine Govt will be forced to cut pensions
in half, as farmlands move under Western Agri-Corp hands.
Think Monsanto. Maybe farmers in objection will have their
fields burned, a shrill echo of the Stalin executions one
century ago. The American Nazis have arrived. That hardly
seems to be in service to the Ukraine people in a sweeping aside of nasty oligarchs,
as the story is commonly told in pure propaganda Goebbels
style. See the Zero Hedge video (CLICK HERE),
on how the USGovt spent $5 billion to destabilize Ukraine. It is laid out in a taped confession
by a US
shill mouthpiece.

Next consider the devious terror and criminality, the mercenary element. Snipers
on rooftops in Kiev killed both the police
and the public demonstrators, hired by Langley, in particular the Blackstone hired mercenaries. The same gang
often conducted target practice from USArmy helicopters in
Iraq,
shooting civilians, even with contest wagers. The US-based
sniper element was verified by Estonian Embassy translators.
They appear to be hired by the Maidan Regime, supplied by
US and Langley. The USMilitary also seized documents raided
by Ukraine radicals,
perhaps a hidden NSA motive on data gathering, always a secondary
motive. A Russian refinery was attacked under mysterious circumstances
during the coup. Serbia
is the training ground for exported CIA terrorism, executed
in nations like Tunisia, Egypt,
and Georgia.
Spy infested Serbia
is the incubator for terrorist action in Ukraine and certain Chinese provinces, run by
the USGovt security agencies. The Islamic fundamentalist CIA
operatives are working shoulder to shoulder with Serbian trainers.
More evidence that Al-Qaeda operates out of Langley HQ, the
base, the rolodex of terrorist for hire by the USGovt slush
funds.

Next consider the economic aspects, and the critical energy factor. Of European
natural gas needs, Russia supplies 25%
to 30%. Of all Russian supplied natgas to Europe, a significant
66% passes through the Ukraine
pipelines. The US and EU desperately want Ukraine not to become a vital piece to Eurasian
Trade Zone. Instead of integrating Ukraine, they will rape and pillage it, the standard
Fascist Nazi Modus Operandi. The will loot it of all available
wealth and assets. The palladium price is at 11-month high.
Big supply deficits are reported for this other precious metal.
Russia
is a major global supplier, at 44% of global supply, with
South Africa at 40%, with Canada at 6%, and with USA at 5%. Russia is a big supplier of rare earth metals also,
but Mongolia
is biggest among rare earths, operating within the Chinese
shadow. The Russian giant gas monopoly firm Gazprom is so
important to Russia that it used to be an actual government
ministry, which was once headed by the former president (and
current prime minister) Dmitry Medvedev. The Russians are
more open about their energy firms being in influence.

Next follow the money, as to details of pilferage. Ukraine
has $23 billion in loans to big Western banks, including $6
billion just to Italian banks. The Swiss froze Ukrainian assets
after the Yanukovych regime had moved $70 billion into off-shore
accounts, in part official state funds and in part oligarch
funds. The state coffers were almost totally looted in Kiev, again a standard Fascist Nazi MO. The Western
Elite employ the same tactics every time. The masked gunmen
with unmarked trucks conducted a state assisted central bank
heist. They took (confiscated, stole, removed, secured) 33
tons of Ukraine central bank
gold bullion. The gold wealth was spirited quickly to New York under the shroud of mystery and confusion,
ostensibly for safe keeping.

Next consider the lack of solidarity among the Western nations, contrasted with
the Eastern superpower solidified axis. A leaked UKGovt document
indicated that the British would not support sanctions on
Russia.
The London bankers
wish to preserve the important Russian oligarch off-shore
haven. French contractors just shipped a unique aircraft carrier
for Russian purchase, used to transport helicopters. The USGovt
will again be isolated, just like in Syria, probably after
several Kremlin phone calls. The winter might be over, but
industry still requires significant natgas supply. China
immediately spoke out in support of Russia. Then India came out with mild tepid support, in pursuit
of restored calm. China
harshly criticized the United
States at a recent G-20 meeting in Australia,
essentially calling the USEconomy a fraud. The age of US bullying
without challenge has ended. China
accused the United
States of living off the printing press,
boasting of a fake economy that features vacant prosperity.
Threats to expel Russia from G-8 Meetings are absurd, since in
reality the G-8 has become irrelevant. Instead, the G-20 will
meet without the United States
or UK
present. More US
isolation.

Next consider the powerful backlash to come from Russia,
some obvious, some to arrive as surprise. More pressure will
come, forcing the Russian hand. The Voice has revealed
that Russia will require energy payments to be made
in Gold bullion or in Ruble currency. In lockstep, The Voice
revealed that China
will demand Yuan payments for crude oil shipments. Either
action would smash the USDollar as global currency reserve,
by killing the Petro-Dollar defacto standard dead. Both actions
will kill the Petro-Dollar and then bury it. The Kremlin
financial advisor threatened with dumping USTreasurys on a
wide scale. Russia
will abandon the USDollar if the USGovt proceeds with sanctions,
which they call an unreliable currency. They really mean a
rogue toxic currency used in global exploitation. Any attempt
toward US
isolation of Russia
is an absurdity, as China
has just announced solidarity with the Kremlin, and since
the two nations are major creditors. They together hold 25%
of USGovt debt. Russia is a major energy and mineral supplier
to the entire world, the list impressive. China is a major exporter of finished products
to the global economy. Isolation initiatives would backfire,
and mean the United
States would be deeply isolated. Russia
formally requested the IMFund to proceed on reforms without
US participation. Perhaps the IMF under Chinese leadership
can declare the United States a rogue nation, and suggest sanctions
against the source of bond fraud, global price inflation,
and war aggression.

Lastly, consider the unthinkable. Desperation has set in. The United
States is enduring its final free monetary
air breaths, as the imminent prospect of either global currency
reset or gold standard installation or global USDollar rejection
is within view. Significant informed discussion of the West
is taking place, focused on the US trying to provoke Russia into a first military strike. The West
might wish to deliver a significant destructive counter-strike
upon the Russian nation, which it considers to be the heir
apparent in global leadership as a super-power. The West is
weak, burdened by debt, ruined by socialism, its banks insolvent,
its population gormless, with industry dispatched to China.
The Western Elite criminals are eager to use the vast nuclear
arsenal before the US,
UK, and Western Europe collapse.
Note the outstanding photo of Putin staring at Condoleeza
Rice back in 2006, the mongoose eyeing the victim. He aint
impressed by any Standord Univ political science scholar,
who conceals the basic fascist nazi toy soldier warrior. It
is no wonder Putin regards many US and British leaders to
be mutants. As footnote, Ukraine
is about the same size as Texas.
It is slightly smaller than Texas
in land mass with 603,000 square km versus 696,000 sqkm respectively.

## UKRAINE COUP AS FIASCO

◄$$$ WITNESS THE PHONY UKRAINE COUP, A GRAND
TRAP SET... LIKE ABANDONING A FLOATING SHIPWRECK IN DISGUISE,
ALLOWING PIRATES TO TAKE CONTROL AND BOARD THE VESSEL... THE
WESTERN POWERS WALKED INTO THE TRAP EAGERLY... THE US-LED
FORCES WORKED SIDE BY SIDE FOR THE NAZI TAKEOVER, WITH NO
HIDDEN ELEMENT TO THE NAZI ASPECT... NEXT COMES LOOTING, THE
ONE-SIDED WESTERN CONTRACTS, AND CONTAMINATION, FOLLOWED BY
A COUNTER-COUP... THE EURASIAN TRADE ZONE IS TO BE BORN FROM
THE CHAOS AND REVERSAL OF SENTIMENT. $$$

Behold the Ukraine coup d'etat, with all its nazi markings,
devious deeds, ample looting, prevalent confusion, and trap
set. The trap is not obvious, but the all too easy coup had
many doors left open. Joel Skousen has had very accurate calls
on major events in the past, but his view on the current Ukraine
situation rings loud and shrill. He wrote, "The sudden
collapse of the pro-Russian Ukrainian government this week
is a too-good-to-be-true win for the protesters. No one in
either the mainstream or alternative media is questioning
the glaring contradictions about what happened during
the supposed coup this past weekend. Who gave the orders
for all of the riot police to melt away and leave their posts?
The almost totally disarmed opposition easily took control
of the city and just walked up to the presidential villa.
Who gave the orders to the pro-Russian Party of Regions,
who wielded the majority in Parliament, to suddenly switch
their votes to join their political enemies in unanimously
ousting President Yanukovych (who knowing what was coming,
had already left)? It certainly was not the opposition. This
all smacks of the same staged collapse of communism that supposedly
toppled multiple Soviet controlled governments that still
had fully functioning police, army, and security forces."
See the two-part Alex Jones video interviews of Joel Skousen
(CLICK HERE
and HERE).
Alex is moving away from crazy fantastic stories, and toward
more responsible reporting.

Ben Fulford, despite his at times incredible accounts of events, provided a
neat preface for the Ukraine situation. He said, "The democratically
elected regime was ousted by violent foreign mercenaries actively
espousing a Nazi ideology. The fact is that it is the corporate
government of the United States no longer has many friends and is
itself being hit hard by sanctions. The Russians, Chinese,
and others have been selling US government bonds, banning
the import of US agricultural goods, and threatening to dump
all of their US dollar holdings." Sounds like a desperate
condition for the United States leadership. Skousen warns that the
risk lies in baiting Russia to make a first strike. He anticipates
that the US-led West would respond by destroying Russia completely. However, it is not Russia
at great risk of being iced, but rather the US & British
& French alliance of being exposed for their criminal
enterprise and toxic sovereign bonds. Together, Russian
and China cannot be easily removed from their new
eastern twin perch. The two nations come in a powerful double
pack, and the Boyz know it.

The Voice offered the best perspective of all, which provides a glimpse to the
actual intrigue. He believes the entire Ukraine
scenario was a trap, which was set for the West. They walked
straight into it. In the next several months, the Western
Ukraine citizens will realize they have been looted, pilfered,
deceived, robbed, and overwhelmed by fascist forces. All the
Eastern European nations will observe the fast deterioration
and impoverishment. Then these nations will join the Eurasian
Trade Zone and back Russia
& China.
It will be an uneasy alliance under the Russian and Chinese
fold, but it will not involve the pilferage and financial
hegemony of the West. That is the trap. In time, the Eurasian
Trade Zone will come together, but it first requires the full
exposure of the fraudulent criminal Western oligarchs who
run their nations like from a corporate office with full exploitation.
To help along the process, if pushed too far, The Voice warned
that the Kremlin will demand either Gold bullion or Russian
Rubles for crude oil payments. Eventually they will demand
such payments anyway. They will redouble their USTreasury
Bond dumped sales just to attract the USGovt attention.

The early events are marred by ugly reports and accounts. So far $70 billion
was effectively stolen from various Kiev banks, tucked away in Swiss banks. It will
not come back. The 33 tons held in the Ukraine central bank was looted, sent to New York, arranged by the central banker planted by the US operation officials
with direct connections to the Israeli security agency. It
will not come back. Next comes the giant energy contracts
and agricultural contracts, with the Seven Sisters in charge
of the natural gas fields and Monsanto in charge of the agri
business. Expect some low royalties for gas fields, a perceived
backlash from the pillage. Then the contamination of groundwater
systems from the destructive fracking, which has spawned numerous
protests like in Romania
and Bulgaria. The Voice
expects a counter-coup to arrive in Ukraine,
perhaps in less time than it took in Egypt. The Cairo team put in place by the WashingtonDC fascist uber-generals were
removed in less than 18 months in a relatively easy counter-coup.
Expect the Ukraine
situation to fall apart more quickly, especially with some
hidden pushes by Putin. The unusual element with the US-led
operation is that it was directed by the CIA, not the Pentagon.
The former controls the White House, with opposition at almost
every step by the latter.

◄$$$ PUTIN HELD A TELECONFERENCE WITH MERKEL (GERMANY)
AND CAMERON (ENGLAND)
OVER EVENTS IN UKRAINE
AND CRIMEA... THE CHINESE PRESIDENT XI CAUTIONED ON OTHER FACTORS AT RISK,
WHILE THE INDIAN LEADERS CONSIDER THE RUSSIAN CLAIM TO CRIMEA
AS LEGITIMATE... WITNESS ENERGY DIPLOMACY AS IT CONFRONTS
GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY. $$$

On March 9th, the Russian President Vladimir Putin told German Chancellor Angela
Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron in a teleconference
that Crimea's decision to secede from Ukraine and join Russia was within the framework of the international
law. The three leaders expressed differences of opinion regarding
the events taking place. However, they declared their
common interest in the reduction of tension and a return to
normal as soon as possible. Such was the Kremlin version of
the conversation. In a separate phone call, Chinese President
XiJinping told German Chancellor Merkel that the current situation in Ukraine is very complicated and highly sensitive,
and urged Western leaders to consider various factors in the
handling of the crisis. Also, New Delhi
pitched in with an opinion, making clear its view that Moscow
has legitimate interests in Ukraine.
Indian National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon stated,
"We are watching what is happening in Ukraine with concern. The broader issues [need]
reconciling various interests involved. There are, after all,
legitimate Russian and other interests involved. We hope those
are discussed, negotiated, and there is a satisfactory resolution
to them." See the BRICS Post article (CLICK HERE).

Downing Street (UKGovt) said in a joint statement, "They both agreed
that the priority is to de-escalate the situation and to get
Russia to engage in a contact group as swiftly
as possible. They reiterated their view that the proposed
referendum in Crimea would be illegal, and that any attempt
by Russia to legitimize the result would result in
further consequences. They also agreed that we must keep working
to support the Ukraine
government, including identifying how the international community
can help to stabilize the economic situation." See
the Guardian article (CLICK HERE).

So the UK and Germany
wish to support the nazi coup d'etat executed by the USGovt
security apparatus, complete with Blackwater service, followed
by pillage of the central bank gold held in Kiev, and removal of valuable capital in their financial
system. Not impressive by the two nations! Witness the new
chessboard strategy of energy diplomacy, as opposed to gunboat
diplomacy. Keep in mind that Germany
depends upon Russia
for 36% of its natural gas needs. France
depends upon Russia
for 23% of its ngas needs, and Italy
depends upon Russia
for 27% of its ngas needs. The dependence will be a point
of leverage very soon, used as reminder.

◄$$$ THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WILL BEAR THE BRUNT OF AN IMF DEAL WITH TOUGH
AUSTERITY... CONDITIONS FOR EUROPEAN AID ARE STRICT, LIKE
A GREECE
REDUX WITH A RUSSIAN VODKA CHASER... INVESTMENT IN UKRAINE WILL VANISH, SENDING THE DOMESTIC ECONOMY
INTO A TAILSPIN, MADE WORSE BY VACANT FUNDS IN THEIR BANKS...
UNCERTAINTY, FRAUD, CHAOS, AND POISON PILLS WILL HINDER FOREIGN
INVESTMENT FOR A BANKRUPT NATION SOO TO BE GUTTED FURTHER.
$$$

As part of a proposed $15 billion IMF deal on a bailout
to save the Ukrainian Economy, once more the same poison pill
is to be administered by the same witch doctors from the West. The results in the past have all
been unsuccessful in Spain, in Italy,
in Greece,
in Ireland, yet they
will apply the same arsenic to the national patient. The plain
stunning destructive past track record indicates a perfectly
clear motive to destroy and gut the nation. It convinces the
Jackass of motive to destroy the global economy for benefit
of banker totalitarianism. The IMF lenders will make sure
Ukraine
installs tough economic reforms which will render great harm
ordinary people, global financial markets expert Patrick Young
told Russia Today news. He also warned that unless economic
and political stability is quickly restored, investors will
be deterred from investing in Ukraine, thereby creating further problems. Expect
their economic fracture and submersion to continue. On the
budget side, the Ministry of Finance has prepared a plan to
freeze budgets (sequestration), the shock to be initiated
by the start of April. The proposal is to reduce capital costs,
to eliminate prefential tax schemes, and to cut social benefits,
such as cutting 50% of pension payments for working pensioners.
The reforms are expected in three to five different objectives,
not all at once. Working seniors will be severely affected.
They cannot survive on US160 per month.

Ultimately, the $15 billion IMF loan will help to stabilize the Ukraine Economy,
at least temporarily. The lack of a credible democratically
elected government puts a cloud over all reform initiatives,
and possibly opens the door to thefts of the loan itself.
It is not clear that the IMFund can secure the actual loan,
in the midst of a highly charged and confusing political situation.
The reforms will serve as shock to a heavily subsidized society.
The Maidan regime must behave in a very fiscally sound
manner, which will not be sympathetic towards the typical
pensioners or the citizens of Ukraine.
Its citizens have grown accustomed (dependent) to receiving
their natural gas from Russia
and then the government giving them an enormous subsidy on
top. The subsidy will be terminated under the IMF plans. That
is precisely why Yanukovich rejected the terms of the IMF
loan a few years ago. The government regularly runs a $6.5
billion deficit every year. On a per capita basis, the United States at 6.9 times the population would
have a $45 billion deficit if equivalent. The USGovt in
fact runs a $1000 billion annual deficit, which means Ukraine's deficit is extremely small, twenty times
smaller than the US
debt finance problem. But the debt run by the Eastern European
nation must be financed, the consequence felt with its Hryvnia
currency.

The IMF will demand austerity, to put their house in order. To operate in a
sound and efficient manner will not appeal to the Ukie Oligarchs,
nor to the ordinary people. Their real standard of living
is going to collapse. The situation there is Greece redux, but in overdrive. The IMF has
offered $15 billion initially, but continued drip feed of
funds will require that terms be met on the austerity measures,
better described as poison pills. During the critical
political crisis in Ukraine, nobody wants to discuss maturely the
economy, the finances, or the reforms, which is worrisome.
At the same time, the G-7 nations are tossing biscuits and
crumbs to prop the economy, like the USGovt offer to leave
$1 billion on the table for usage.

Although the Ukraine Economy is not broadly wrecked, the challenge is huge uncertainty
in every sector. If the EU Trade Zone is implemented, the
shock will be nearly total. It would lead to a huge catastrophic
problem for the east of the country, because the industrial
heartlands would suddenly to find themselves unable to export
their goods to Russia
and to locations east of Russia.
Such export destinations are currently popular. In the
process, an investor strike is at work. Large foreign players
are terrified about committing their money in projects in
order to manage and to build new businesses, to create jobs,
and to extend ties. The foreign direct investors are hesitant
to continue or enter the country which is essentially bankrupt,
being gutted, and in politically chaos. The situation is a
cross between Greece
and Rwanda
from an investor standpoint. See the Russia Today article
(CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ SEVERAL QUESTIONS ON UKRAINE GO WITHOUT
ANSWERS... THE QUESTIONS EXPOSE THE USGOVT FOR ITS HYPOCRISY
AND AGGRESSION... THE COUP D'ETAT WAS A JOINT EFFORT, WITH
SUPPORT FROM DOMESTIC OLIGARCHS AND AMERICAN MERCENARIES.
$$$

The US-led Western nations have displayed a callous position in recent years
on all matters pertaining to Eastern Europe, probably because
the US and its NATO accomplices are deeply engaged
in devious deplorable vile activity. Whether in Ukraine or other neighboring nations to Russia, the West
steadfastly refuses to answer questions that often touch on
serious violations of international law. Ignoring Russian
concerns is a Western habit adopted after the Soviet
Union's collapse, part of the Cheney Full Spectrum Dominance
(with criminal basis). Consider when NATO bombed Yugoslavia,
without formal stated rationale. Consider recognition of Kosovo
as an independent state, later set up as a massive heroin
supply depot. Consider the USMilitary initiative to install
an anti-missile shield over Eastern Europe, a clear treaty
violation since it targeted Russia. Consider the steady flock of Western diplomats
who entered Ukraine
to lobby their crooked interests in a future Ukraine Govt,
while accusing Russia of meddling
in the nation's affairs. In Ukraine
lies Russia's
red line and Moscow no longer takes disrespect and silence for
an answer. Many are the difficult questions which demonstrate
a vile sinister under-current.

The opposition ousted Yanukovich even after he conceded to their demands. A
pact was co-signed by foreign ministers of France,
Germany, and Poland as agreement guarantors toward constitutional
reform, a national unity government, early presidential election,
and removal of Maidan fighter groups. Hours after it was signed,
the Right Sector radicals swept the place clean amidst threats
and murders with armed masked militants. They are nazis, who
even brandish swastikas on armbands. Yanukovich had already
given up his power, yet the violent overthrow was desired.
The coup d'etat replace oligarchs linked to Yanukovich with
other oligarchs linked to Western nations and to Israel, even direct rivals to Putin himself. The
new self-appointed regime replaced the Yanukovich oligarchs
with their own. The new governors of Donetsk
and Dnepropetrovsk include old name figures at odds
with Putin, well known criminals who pilfered funds with ornate
scams. Now huge energy projects depend on the new and
improved criminal oligarchs and their cooperation, likely
with more pilferage. Kiev appears to be reinventing fiefdoms to nobility
in exchange for servitude. For Putin, who openly excluded
oligarchs from politics, the move is anathema. The contradictions
remain.

Other disputes have arisen over repealed laws over language. Kiev
had pledged to restore the status of the Russian spoken language,
but now says the acting Ukrainian president will not sign
such a bill into law. Several Constitutional Court judges were accused of violating
their oath, then abruptly fired. The regime wishes to have
them prosecuted. The judges branded this deed as an attack
on the principle of separation of powers. In fact, Yanukovich
was not procedurally impeached. He was dismissed by means
of a voice vote, a show of hands, rather flimsy in procedure.
The legality of his impeachment is open to challenges taken
by several Ukrainian regions, even diplomatically by Russia. The Ukrainian Constitutional Court is the proper authority to rule on the
issue, but it was disbanded in favor of the more sympathetic
Supreme Court. The contradictions remain.

The coup in Kiev Ukraine
installed a factious regime in an unconstitutional move, featuring
a public revolution generated by the Western powers, organized
by the Langley specialists.
The people wanted change from an incredibly corrupt previous
system, but they were given a fascist nazi regime with ties
to Western oligarchs. No improvement will be given them. Putin
regards the situation as far too polarized to become stable
in any governmental function. He questioned the motives all
along of whipping the nation into a frenzy. A stable Ukraine is essential for Russia for many reasons. Of course Russia wants ethnic Russians in Ukraine to be safe
from potential violence and persecution. Other pragmatic considerations
are relevant like the strong economic interdependence, like
the gas pipelines that serve European economies, and especially
like the Russian Naval Fleet in the Black
Sea. A desperate Kiev mulls a divisive decision to privatize its
gas pipelines in order to obtain income and to fill its empty
coffers. Doing so would ignite a full flared conflict with
the Kremlin, and total natgas cutoffs.

All of the questions posed by Putin and Moscow
again go unanswered in the face of deeply criminal Western
activity which will be revealed in time. Start with the looting
of the Ukraine
central bank gold to the New York Fed, the diversion of $70
billion in corporate funds to Switzerland,
and the fast track on energy projects that destroy the groundwater
systems. The contradictions remain. See the Russia Today article
(CLICK HERE).
For more details of the West's fiasco in Ukraine, the site of growing desperation and grand
larceny, see the Chinese official view of the situation. They
detect the West's shrinking financial situation, biting off
more than it can chew. See the Xinhua article (CLICK HERE).
For more information on the Israeli connection to the Ukrainian
coup d'etat, the role played by Jewish Oligarchs, as well
as details on the Blackwater involvement, see the Israel Shamir
article (CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ PEPE ESCOBAR CASTIGATES THE UNITED STATES GOVT FOR ITS EXCEPTIONALISM,
ITS HYPOCRISY, AND ITS EXPLOITATION... THE USGOVT IS CAUGHT
ONCE MORE IN SUPPORT OF FASCIST NAZIS, THE LATEST IN A LONG
STRING OF SUCH SUPPORT. $$$

The following are Escobar's thoughts, summarized with my edits. The United
States once more demonstrates its exceptionalism,
but in crime, deceit, and thefts. The USGovt backed a fascist
regime again, yet the American public cannot seem to comprehend
its track record on fascist regime support elsewhere or its
own fascist leadership for decades. The 1997 Ukraine-Russia
partition treaty specifically allows Russian troops in Crimea.
So the USGovt objections are loaded with hypocrisy. The Western-led
coup was largely directed by UNA-UNSO, a shady, ultra-right
wing, crack para-military force tied closely to NATO using
Ukraine as base, as exposed by William Engdahl. Again, neo-con
means fascist nazi. The Svoboda Freedom party political council
member Yury Noyevy admitted openly that using EU integration
as a pretext was a means to break relations with Russia.

The servile Western corporate media glosses over the
Nazi element. It always skips over how Svoboda and the Right Sector fascists follow in the
steps of the infamous Galician fascist terrorist Stepan Bandera,
a notorious asset at the avail of Western security agencies.
Svoboda has managed to install six important players in the
new Kiev regime. The Western press, while focusing upon
the battle against kleptocracy, continues to overlook the
kleptocrat oligarchs in the imporant provinces, despite the
Maidan Regime working to displace the pro-Russian oligarchs.
For a good perspective on Ukraine
by Engdahl, see the Bewusst article (CLICK HERE). The Ukraine
Govt is now headed by fascists and Neo-Nazis. See the Alternet
article (CLICK HERE).

Follow the money to see removal of large tracts of cash from Kiev
to Western Europe, and big loans to Western banks. The linchpin might
be Germany,
which opposes sanctions, and tolerates the sacrosanct American
exceptionalist mantra (as Pepe describes).Russia
is a plush market for German industry. The City of London
does not want sanctions either, lusting for the Russian flow
of funds from their politico oligarchs, even if a couple are
found murdered in London. The West's threat to expel Russia
from the Group of Eight is an utter loud joke, widely seen
as such, except to the clownish ministers in WashingtonDC.
The G-8, which excludes China and only invites
them as observers, does not decide anything relevant anymore.
The G-20 does, a main point by the Jackass for two years.
The irony is that most of Ukraine's
people do not want to be part of the European Union or NATO.
Moreover, most Europeans do not want the Ukraine
to be included within the EU. The Ukraine nation will be cast into the arms of the
bloodsucking Intl Monetary Fund. Ukraine creeps toward federalization.

Escobar drives home a critical point on political subterfuge. Review the
recent history of the Bush II Admin and the Obama Admin on
forming alliances with the terrorist groups. Sooner or
later the sleepy dopey apathetic gullible (Jackass descriptors,
not from Pepe) American public will awaken to the face that
the Neo-Con wings of the American Eagle that have occupied
the White House are those of fascists, also known as Nazis.
They characteristically display many flags at press conferences,
defend the borders with hostility, and engage in aggressive
wars in a purely predatory fashion. The USGovt actively supported
the Swoboda Right Sector fascists who brandished swastikas
openly, the group in power which toppled the Ukraine Govt.
As Escobar points out, the United States is responsible for a long list of
violations in the last 20 years. Yet the Obama mouthpiece
talks of international law. Escobar wrote, "This is
just the latest instance in the serial rape of International
Law. The rap sheet is humongous, including; NATO bombing Serbia
for 78 days in 1999 to allow Kosovo to secede; the 2003 US
invasion and subsequent trillion-dollar occupation and civil
war creation in Iraq; the NATO/ AFRICOM bombing of Libya in
2011 invoking R2P (Responsibility to Protect) as a cover to
provoking regime change; US investment in the secession of
oil wealthy South Sudan, so China has to deal with an extra
geopolitical headache; and US investment in perennial civil
war in Syria." Pepe left out the NATO Treaty violation
with Russia,
whereby the US
placed numerous non-defensive nuclear missiles in Eastern
European nations on the Russian border between 2002 and 2004,
despite strident objections by Putin.

Escobar goes on to describe the pathetic Good Nazi. He wrote, "Everyone
remembers the 'Good Taliban', with which the US
could negotiate in Afghanistan.
Then came the 'Good al-Qaeda', jihadis the US
could support in Syria.
Now come the 'Good Neo-Nazis', with which the West can do
business in Kiev. Soon there will be 'the Good Jihadis supporting
Neo-Nazis', who may be deployed to advance US/NATO and anti-Russian
designs in Crimea and beyond. After all,
Obama mentor Dr Zbigniew (The Grand Chessboard) Brzezinski
is the godfather of good jihadis, fully weaponized to fight
the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
As facts on the ground go, Neo-Nazis are definitely back as
[the painted] good guys. For the first time since the end
of World War II, fascists and neo-nazis are at the helm of
a European nation, although Ukraine most of all should be
characterized as the key swing nation in Eurasia. Few in the
West seem to have noticed it." Pepe concluded with
a simple explanation of the extreme natural gas dependence
by Western Europe on Russia supply. See the Pepe Escobar essays in
Asia Times (CLICK HERE and
HERE
and HERE).
The first of the articles is especially meaty, the third touches
on the politics of nazis. Pepe Escobar is a breath of fresh
air, loaded with a keen perspective, offering rich details.
He easily brushes aside the pervasive propaganda.

## EXTREME UKRAINE BACKLASH
THREAT

◄$$$ PUTIN ADVISOR THREATENED WITH DUMPING USTREASURYS, ABANDONING THE
USDOLLAR IF THE USGOVT PROCEEDS WITH SANCTIONS... RUSSIA
HOLDS AROUND $200 BILLION IN USTBONDS... THE USGOVT IS VULNERABLE
ON THE FINANCIAL FRONT, STANDING ON SOGGY DEBT SOAKED GROUND.
$$$

Russia did not waste any time wielding the
USTreasury Bond sledge hammer. The game is on. Russian presidential
advisor Sergei Glazyev spoke at the Putin detente press conference
on March 4th. The red light of warning was flashed, addressing
the glaring USGovt vulnerability in foreign held debt.
The USTBond is soon to become the hotmoney discarded globally.
The inept boisterous Secy State John Kerry threatened crippling
sanctions against Russia, but no other major nation will likely
join him, a grand risk with highly visible effect. "Unless
immediate and concrete steps are taken by Russia
to deescalate tensions, the effect on US-Russian relations
and on Russia's international
standing will be profound," Kerry stated. He mentioned
economic sanctions, visa bans, and asset freezes as possible
measures. He should look to see how debt soaked the ground
is on which he stands. The serious repercussions would backfire
quickly on the US, whose leaders are as incredibly inept and
arrogant, as they are aggressive and corrupt.

In the event that Russian companies and certain individuals are targeted by
sanctions as a result of events in Ukraine, the Russian
authorities would dump USGovt bonds immediately and without
hesitation. Glazyev expects the United
States would be the first to suffer in
the event of any sanctions parlay. He said, "The Americans
are threatening Russia
with sanctions and pulling the EU into a trade and economic
war with Russia. Most of
the sanctions against Russia
will bring harm to the United
States itself, because as far as trade
relations with the United States go, we do not depend on them in
any way. We hold a decent amount of Treasury Bonds, more
than $200 billion. If the United
States dares to freeze accounts of Russian
businesses and citizens, we can no longer view America
as a reliable partner. We will encourage everybody to dump
US Treasury Bonds, get rid of Dollars as an unreliable currency
and leave the US market." Regard the Kremlin as owning
more than the officially reported sum of USTBonds.

Former deputy energy minister Vladimir Milov is a regular critic of the Putin
team, a tolerated voice. He warned that increased tensions
put continued downward pressure on the Ruble exchange rate,
which was recently down to a record low of 36.5 against the
USDollar. The Kremlin dismissed the Milov statement as a personal
position from his academic post, no longer a formal counselor.
The USGovt and Wall Street bankers who operate their corrupt
houses must be concerned that if Putin orders its vast energy
firms to accept only Russian Ruble currency as payment for
oil & gas shipments, then the Ruble will rise quickly.
The Wall Street game would be wrecked, causing great losses
in a grand scheme backfire. This remains a Kremlin option.
The swaggering US crew boast that a mere two months of USFed
QE pump prime activity could eliminate the Russian holdings
of USTBonds. So the Weimar
solution can cover USGovt debt and foreign USTBond dumps as
official policy, a main point warned by the Jackass for over
two months. QE volume will rise, not decline.

The disconnect is with reality, since the entire world will soon reject the
USDollar for its Weimar inflationary dependence and resulting wreckage heaped upon the
global economy. The small retribution on Russia asset freezes and visa bans would result
in accelerated USDollar rejection on the global stage. The
local damage seems 100-fold worse than the foreign sanctions
effect, evidence of desperation and ineptness. The US clown show continues as incredibly short-sighted.
If China
were to ally with Russia,
and proceed to follow Russia
in its reciprocal isolation of the United States, the risk to the USGovt financial
condition would turn critical, acute, and deadly. The Chinese
are busy expanding trade with Russia
on non-USD settlement terms, using mostly the Yuan currency.
The Chinese continue to sell bonds, a process begun in December,
reported in the Hat Trick Letter. The $28 billion dump event
by China of USTBonds was reported as the second largest amount
of US debt securities in history. The American ruling body
seems ignorant of its own vulnerability. Fascists always alienate
allies and antagonize enemies, ignoring their own weakness.
See the Zero Hedge article (CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ RUSSIA AND CHINA
STAND IN AGREEMENT ON UKRAINE...
TO EXPECT RUSSIA
IN ISOLATION IS GRAND DELUSION, DUE TO ITS SIZE, ITS RESOURCES
REQUIRED GLOBALLY, AND ITS BEST FRIEND CHINA...
THE TWO OTHER SUPERPOWERS ARE UNITED ARM IN ARM. $$$

Russia cannot be isolated. Such a plan is
total folly. It is too big, too vast, too loaded with natural
resources. The Chinese Govt quickly came out with a public
statement in solidarity with Russia
on matters pertaining to the Ukraine
crisis. The United
States will be isolated, as nation after
nation refuse to join them. The US is essentially powerless to do anything further
politically in Ukraine.
Russia
and China have begun to comprehend how much economic
leverage that they really possess. The Obama Admin has no
clout, only military options and deep debt burden, a dangerous
combination, and no surprise it has gone the fascist route.
The US
can threaten to slap sanctions on Russia
or threaten to kick Russia
out of the G-8 Meetings. But the sanctions will result in
USTreasury Bond dumping with perhaps growing momentum if joined
by other major creditors. Besides, the G-8 has already been
overshadowed by the G-20.

On the financial front, Russia & China hold approximately 25% of all foreign-held
USGovt debt. If they decide to coordinate a massive multi-sided
sale of USTBonds, it could rapidly create a nightmare scenario.
In addition, Russia is the largest
exporter of natural gas and the second largest exporter of
crude oil in the world. China
has moved into the lead position as global oil importer nation.
Together, Russia & China could decide to execute a series of kill
shots to the Petro-Dollar, a project possible to be done almost
overnight. Already the weakened, if not fractured, alliance
with Saudis has rendered the Petro-Dollar a sitting duck on
the geopolitical stage. Therefore conclude that when it comes
to Ukraine,
the United
States definitely does not possess the
leverage. The rest of the world will not abandon Russia
over the Ukraine situation.
Worse, China
has chosen to publicly stand with Russia
on this issue. The rest of the world will not alienate China either.

The Chinese state news agency Xinhua has publicly rebuked the West for their
role of the Ukrainian crisis. The Xinhua accused Western powers
of adopting a Cold War mindset towards Russia. They rebuked
the USGovt for trying to isolate Moscow at a time when diplomacy is called for. The news agency pointed
out that Russia
and Ukraine
have deep cultural, historical, and economic connections over
the last several centuries. They cited openly a respect for
Russia's
unique right in mapping out the future of Ukraine. See the Economic Collapse article (CLICK
HERE).

◄$$$ IN A RECENT UNITED NATIONS ACTION, RUSSIA
CAST A VETO, AND CHINA
ABSTAINED FROM A SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON THE CRIMEAN
ANNEXATION IN UKRAINE... THIS IS
TO BECOME THE NEW PATTERN AS THE NEW AXIS EMERGES... CHINA WILL EMERGE AS THE GLOBAL DIPLOMATIC LEADER,
ASSISTED CAPABLY BY GERMANY...
HOWEVER, GERMANY
PLAYS A GREATER ROLE AS COMMERCIAL PLAYER IN THE PROCESS OF
PIVOTING TO THE EAST AS THE EURASIAN TRADE ZONE COMES INTO BEING... THE ANGLO-AMERICANS
WILL NOT SEE THE GERMAN PIVOT COMING... MEANWHILE, NEW YORK AND LONDON ARE BEING
DRAINED OF CAPITAL. $$$

The US war merchants and fascist team put forth a
UN Resolution that went nowhere. Instead, it displayed the
new axis forming in the East. Curiously, the US draft does not directly blame Russia for the crisis in Ukraine. Room exists for diplomacy, but the room
is full of venom and entirely polarized. Given the corporate
objectives of the West in energy and agriculture, war seems
unthinkable. The superpowers are all nuclear armed. The United States is badly budget constrained, and
does not have the means for yet another costly war in a long
string of predatory wars. Neither is Russia
prepared physically or psychologically to engage in war, although
disillusioned with the West. The major parties might want
to find a reasonable way out of the current crisis, but the
US
will not save face in any outcome. The Ukraine Govt might
want to find a way to avoid an immediate collapse, a great
risk. The US, UK,
and EU wish to make a stand, but do not wish to force Russia into a violent conflict. The West wishes
to grab Ukraine.
The best solution is an autonomous Crimea within Ukraine,
within which Russia's
the military presence can be guaranteed.

The West cannot expect to wrestle the Russian Naval port away from Russia and expect any stability. If the Russian
Navy attempted to block the Chesapeake,
only then would the overreach in an untenable situation be
fully comprehended by American citizens. The unexpected
winner is to be China, which will likely play an active role in
facilitating a diplomatic solution to the current crisis.
They can offer the Kremlin some wise counsel, support the
Russian positions overtly and in hidden ways, while stepping
forward as intermediary in formal discussions. A key point,
China should
work more together with Germany
since in a unique position. Itsposition and attitudes
are somewhat different from those of the United
States and other European countries.
The Germans are multi-lateral in their position, with a long
history with the Russians and Eastern nations of Europe.
It can persuade Russia
to de-escalate the situation as they work toward a wide array
of commercial pursuits. See the Zero Hedge article (CLICK
HERE)
and The Diplomat article (CLICK HERE).

Colleague Craig McC in Northern California offered an excellent perspective. He believes the
reliable and insightful Zero Hedge staff misses the big story,
on how China
has emerged as the world's power broker. Only the Beijing
crew can mediate the Ukraine
situation. China
is making notable progress in becoming the principal mediator
in the Syria conflict. In many ways, China has been working to constructively engage
Iran, like in pipeline
funding. As their Middle East role rises to cast a shadow
over US
interests (both constructive and destructive), the process
of Saudi Arabia
pivoting towards China will be accelerated, pushing the Petro-Dollar
into obscurity. The Middle Kingdom of Asia with the assistance
of Russia
led the West into a diplomatic trap, and has emerged as the
power broker. At the same time, the new role of Germany
as China's
partner in diplomatic mediation will eventually come into
view. Germany
is absolutely critical, and the emblem of the Great Prize
of Europe, a Jackass point made for seven years. For Europe
and Asia to come together in a highly constructive manner
like in a grand consortium, it requires Germany at its center.
The Germans will represent the Western position, soften
it, while they actually pivot to the East and join the Eurasian
Trade Zone on the commercial front. The US
wants German support in banking and war pursuits, both dead
ends. The diplomatic role of China
and the commercial role of Germany
are absolutely critical elements of the birth of the Eurasian
Trade Zone. Meanwhile, the observers in Eastern
Europe are actively watching the harmful role by the West,
and constructive role by the East. They will join the trade
zone eagerly, but at a later date after more gutting of their
wealth occurs. Regard these developments as Yuan positive
and USDo llar negative.

The Voice confirmed this important global pathway. He believes the events will
lead to a new European-Asian axis emerging with its strength
and central durability coming from Berlin,
Moscow, and Beijing. It is happening by default, as the US and British have
withdrawn from constructive stable endeavors, leaving a vacuum.
Worse, the Anglos, Americans, and French will be revealed
as clownish bagholders whose calling cards are violence and
deceit. In fact, if the United States blinks
or flinches, the Chinese and Russians will crush them economically.
The US is vulnerable
to the extreme. He pointed out that Russian companies and
the Russian central bank have withdrawn far in excess of $350
billion from the US financial system in recent weeks, and
they are to drain more next week. Both New York and London are being
drained of capital during the Grand Paradigm Shift in progress.
A parallel path is underway like the massive gold drainage
by China from the London banking sector. All and everybody will be impacted. The criminality
and narcissism of the Inner Beltway Boyz is a case for a secure
institution in formal treatment, like a sanitarium.

◄$$$ FOREIGN USTREASURY BOND HOLDERS ARE QUICKLY ABANDONING THEIR CUSTODIAN
AT THE US FEDERAL RESERVE, OUT OF DISTRUST... THE NATIONS
SEEK ALTERNATE LOCATIONS TO KEEP THEIR BOND HOLDINGS, BUT
THEY MIGHT BE SEEKING ALTERNATE BROKERS TO DUMP THEIR ASSETS
WITHOUT HARSH RETALIATION BY THE USGOVT... THE BULK OF THE
$105 BILLION IN USTBONDS DUMPED IN THE PAST WEEK IS SUSPECTED
TO BE FROM RUSSIA
& CHINA...
RUSSIA
IS MAKING SIZEABLE WITHDRAWALS IN OTHER NATIONS OF THE WEST.
$$$

Russian companies have made very large bank withdrawals from the West in the
last few weeks, the momentum building rapidly. The activity
is taking place in the great many large banks in the United
States, England, and Western Europe.
They are fearful that any USGovt sanctions over the Ukraine
crisis could lead to an asset freeze, according to bankers
in Moscow who shared their opinions. The already insolvent US
banks could next suffer a blowback from even worse shortage
of capital. The US banks are highly
vulnerable. See the Financial Times video (CLICK HERE).
The bigger story is the historically unprecedented decline
in foreign central bank USTreasury Bond holdings recorded
in the latest week. It is believed that Russia is shifting
its USTreasury holdings out of the USFed custodial accounts
and into off-shore accounts. That way, Russia
would retain control over their assets, like for sale of its
portfolio if the United States and
its European allies impose economic sanctions over the growing
geopolitical tensions. USTreasury securities held in custody
for foreign official and international accounts tumbled by
$105 billion in the week that ended March 12th, according
to the federal data. It was a shocker! It was the largest
reduction seen in several years. Creditors make the rules
and pull the strings, assuring their continued control of
assets. Some powerful entities will soon find out that owning
debt is not wealth, and debtors should not play such games
with their creditor nations. Debtor nations with insolvent
banking systems should be doubly cautious, rather than doubly
aggressive. See the Zero Hedge article (CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ AS THE UKRAINE PRESSURE INTENSIFIES, RUSSIA WARNED HOW SANCTIONS WILL BOOMERANG...
CRIMEA HAS VOTED TO BE ANNEXED BY RUSSIA, ITS STRATEGIC NAVAL PORT TO CONTINUE UNDER
THE RUSSIAN NAVAL FLEET... APART FROM GOLD THEFTS AND GAS
FIELD CONQUESTS, THE UNITED STATES FACES BECOMING ROADKILL
IN BOTH COMMERCE AND PRESTIGE. $$$

The battle is on between foreign ministers. US Secretary of State John Kerry
and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have begun telephone conversations.
Russia
expects any USGovt sanctions imposed on Moscow
will boomerang back on the United
States. Russia
claims that Crimea has the right to self-determination.
To be sure, armed men tried to seize another Ukrainian Military
base on the peninsula. Crimea is a grand
tactical prize for its naval port and access to rule over
off-shore drilling projects. During the call, Lavrov warned
against hasty and reckless steps could render deep damage
to Russian-US relations. He said, "Sanctions [imposed
by the USGovt] would inevitably hit the United States like
a boomerang." The parties have made two tense
high-level exchanges during a quick 24-hour period, in discussion
over the seizure of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula by the pro-Russian
faction in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin wasted no time in capturing
the valuable strategic naval port. Putin and US President
Barack Obama conducted a one-hour long phone conversation
that did nothing but clarify their opposing positions. The
inept inexperienced arrogant reckless Obama Admin announced
the first sanctions against Russia
on March 6th, the dutiful puppet.

The position put forth by Vladimir Putin is that Ukraine's
new pro-Western officials had acted illegitimately over the
Eastern, Southeastern, and Crimea regions.
He claimed Russia responded
to calls for help, and acted accordingly, in full compliance
with international law. The on-ground reports indicate that
30,000 Russian soldiers are stationed in Crimea, compared
to the 11,000 permanently based with the Russian Black Sea
fleet in the port
of Sevastopol before the crisis.
Russia
will save $90 million in annual rent for the Sevastopol
base, which until now was payable to Kiev,
more stress to the new regime. A Ukrainian missile defense
post in Sevastopol was taken over control without any shots
fired. The pro-Russian Crimean premier cited the standoff
as over. Some squabbles have arisen over vehicle license plates
being Russian. The Crimean Parliament is dominated by ethnic
Russians, and voted suddenly to join Russia
via annexation. A national referendum takes place this weekend,
with many watchful eyes. See the Reuters article (CLICK HERE)
and the roadkill graphic. Never has the United States been governed by more incompetent,
reckless, and corrupt leadership.

In expected manner, the Crimean vote will not easily be recognized. The interim
nazi Prime Minister Maidan installed in Ukraine
by the USGovt security wing has warned the Crimean Parliament
that no nation in the civilized world will recognize its referendum
on joining Russia. Arseniy Yatsenyuk and others in the Kiev
government have called the vote unconstitutional and illegitimate.
But the referendum has the support of the Russian Parliament.
The complexity is clear. The speaker of the upper house in
Kiev reitereated that if the Crimean people
vote on March 16th to join Russia in the referendum, then they would unquestionably
back their popular choice. Expect the Eastern
Hemisphere reaction to be swift in acceptance. Look for China and Iran
(two of the countries with the oldest cultures) to recognize
the people's choice to re-unite with Russia
within a single day. Look for Belarus,
Brazil,
and other nations likely to follow soon afterwards. The nod
by Romania, Bulgaria,
and Poland
will be interesting, since they are occupied by Western oil
companies. Their lands are in the process of being raped by
hydraulic fracking. See the BBC article (CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ RUSSIA HAS CALLED FOR PAYMENT ON THE OVERDUE BILL
OF $1.89 BILLION UKRAINE
GAS DEBT DURING THE ONGOING EVENTS IN CRIMEA...
A STANDOFF HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE CRIMEAN
PENINSULA, JUST ANNEXED BY RUSSIA IN RESPONSE TO THE KIEV COUP... THE NAVAL BASE IS TOO IMPORTANT TO RISK FOR THE RUSSIAN
MILITARY, FOR ITS ACCESS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN THROUGH TURKEY. $$$

The Kremlin disclosed that Ukraine's natural gas debt
has climbed to almost US$2 billion, an untenable situation
in need of address. The Russians signaled that gas supplies
might be cut, ratcheting up pressure. Any such cutoff would
not be a direct economic attack to the West, since Ukraine
is in chronic arrears on gas payments. But the effect
on Western Europe would be clear, in
reduced gas line pressure. The game is on, as the important
naval port in the Black Sea Crimea region is being fought
over, after being easily seized, a quick embarrassment to
the Kiev regime. Ukraine
has failed to make its February fuel payment, partly as result
of the chaos imposed by the US
agents. The official balanced owed to Russia stands at $1.89 billion, according to OAO
Gazprom. They are no stranger to harsh tactics. They halted
supplies to Ukraine
five years ago amid a pricing and debt dispute, which reduced
flows to European customers. The standoff is clear. The Russian
Parliament Duma decided to accept the results of a March 16th
referendum on Crimea joining Russia. On the other side, the US puppet with Israeli connections, Ukraine Premier Arseniy
Yatsenyuk reiterated that his cabinet deems the vote illegal.
The Kiev puppet crew seeks hastily to
confirm a bailout, which will surely gut the nation, just
like in Greece. The Crimean peninsula has strategic importance
as the only warm water Russian Naval port. The Russian Navy
seized the facilities in Crimea, in the wake of the oust of
Moscow backed President Viktor Yanukovych. The peninsula
was once part of Russia and remains the home to its Black Sea Fleet.
Russia
would no more give up Crimea than the USNavy would give up
the Chesapeake. See the Bloomberg article (CLICK HERE).

## UKRAINE AS OBJECT OF PLUNDER

◄$$$ GOLD RESERVES OF UKRAINE WERE STOLEN, THE 33 TONS OF UKRAINE GOLD MOVED TO NEW YORK... THIS IS HOW SPONSORED POPULAR UPRISING AND WAR HAVE BECOME
CLOUD COVER FOR NATIONAL THEFTS, THE MOTIVES ALWAYS FOR CONTROL,
PILFERAGE, AND CORPORATIVISM... WITNESS THE EXPORT OF THE
FASCIST BUSINESS MODEL. $$$

The Boryspil Airport was the
site of a major armed robbery with hastened getaway on March
7th, as the US Strartoval plane loaded with gold reserves
left Ukraine.
Under the cover of darkness and the deep night hours, at 2am
the airport managing staff observed an unregistered transport
plane take off from the designated airport runway. According
to the eyewitnesses at Boryspil, the aircraft was loaded with
four collector vehicles and two cargo minibus Volkswagens.
All the arriving truck license plates were missing. When
they arrived, out from the trucks came about fifteen people
in black uniforms, wearning masks and body armor. Some of
them were armed with machine guns. These people downloaded
more than forty heavy boxes to the plane. After the load was
completed, some other unidentified men also arrived to enter
the plane. The entire process was carried out in a huge hurry.
After the procedure, the unmarked trucks immediately left
the runway, and the plane took off on an emergency basis.

The airport officials immediately notified the government
officials in Kiev
of the mysterious operation at Boryspil, and were given a
strong recommendation "not to meddle in other people's
business."Clear enough, but if the national treasure, then it is indeed everyone's business.
Later, the editors called back one of the senior officials
of the former Ministry of income and fees. He reported that
on direct orders of the new leaders of Ukraine, all the gold reserves from the central
bank in Kiev had been taken the United States.
A source in the Ukrainian Govt confirmed that the transfer
of the gold reserves of Ukraine
to the United States was
ordered by the acting Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk. Perhaps
a wider military conflict is anticipated. Or perhaps the coup
was designed to gut the national wealth quickly and efficiently.
See the Jesse Crossroads article (CLICK HERE)
and the NewsWire article (CLICK HERE). For a direct (always
imperfect) translation of an original article, see the Iskra
News article (CLICK HERE).
Witness the fascist plunder. This is precisely the way they
do it. It is called democracy at gunpoint, theft under the
din of chaos. However, the majority of Ukraine's gold bullion reserves are located in
Moscow, according to The Voice.

◄$$$ KAYE ON KING WORLD NEWS CONFIRMED THE 33 TONS OF UKRAINE
GOLD (WORTH ALMOST $2 BILLION) WERE TAKEN TO THE NEW YORK FED... HE EXPECTS THEY WILL NEVER SEE IT AGAIN. $$$

Eric King might be insufferably arrogant, and a poor promoter of gold mining
stocks, and a bad citizen when defending copyrighted material
taken from his website, and a clumsy transcriptor of interviews,
and a dishonest colleague during a 2010 conflict with the
Jackass, but he made a great comment. He said, "Whether
the United States
is taking down Saddam Hussein in Iraq,
or Muammar Gaddafi in Libya,
there always seems to be gold at the end of the rainbow, which
the United States then
appropriates." Exactly! Eric King misses the gold
larceny angle as it applied to Syria
and Saudi Arabia, both
in progress but far less visible. William Kaye of Hong Kong
hedge fund fame offered his perspective on the Ukraine central bank gold heist.

"There
are now reports coming from Ukraine that all of the Ukrainian gold has been
airlifted, at 2am Ukrainian time, out of the main airport
Boryspil Airport
in Kiev. It is being flown to New York, the presumable
destination being the New York Fed. Now that is 33 tons of gold which is worth somewhere
between $1.5 billion and $2 billion. That would amount
to a very nice down payment to the $5 billion that Assistant
Secretary of State Victoria Nuland boasted that the United
States has already spent in their efforts
to destabilize Ukraine, and
put in place their own unelected government. The United
States installed a former banker in Ukraine
who is very friendly to the West. He is also a guy with central
bank experience [in Israel].
This would have been his first major decision to transport
that gold out of Ukraine to the United States. You may recall that allegedly
the logistical requirements prevented the New
York Fed from returning the 300 tons of gold the United
States stores for Germany
back to Germany
[exposing their hypocrisy].

After
a year of waiting, the New York Fed only
sent Germany
5 tons of gold. So only 5 tons of gold was sent from the Fed
to Germany, and it was not even the 5 tons that had been originally
stored with the Fed. Even the Bundesbank has admitted that
the gold sent to them by the New York
Fed had to be melted down and tested for purity because it
was not Germany's
original bars. So how is it, since logistical requirements
are supposedly such a major issue, that in one airlift, assuming
this report is accurate, all the gold Ukraine possessed in
their vault was taken out of Ukraine and delivered to the
New York Fed? I think anybody with any active brain cells
knows that just like Germany,
Ukraine will have
to wait a very long time, and very likely will never see that
gold again. Meaning, that gold is gone."

See the King World News interview (CLICK HERE)
or the GoldSeek article (CLICK HERE). The latter article
cites how a Russian-Ukrainian news agency describes the suspicious
transfer of Ukrainian gold to the United
States in clandestine manner. The new
central bank head Stepan Kubiv has well-known allegiance to
Europe, has past experience with the
Israeli central bank, and holds an Israeli passport, just
like many Neo-Con nazis within the Bush II Admin.

◄$$$ THE LOOTING OF UKRAINE HAS BEGUN,
THE ACTIONS TO BE TRULY DEVIOUS, BROADLY APPLIED, DONE IN
THE OPEN, AND UGLY... EXPECT THE VISIBLE EFFECTS TO BE OBSERVED
BY THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY... THE UKRAINE
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DUPED AND BETRAYED, BY A DIFFERENT GANG OF
SELF-SERVING OLIGARCHS CARRYING NAZI BUSINESS CARDS. $$$

Paul Craig Roberts is a bold man, a courageous patriotic man, with excellent
insight into half the world. He served as Asst Secy in the
Reagan Admin. He sets the record straight on the upcoming
rape and pillage of Ukraine
by Europe, under the guiding American
hand. The USGovt security apparatus has gone over the line
in a highly visible pathetic putsch. Here is an excerpt that
captures the essence of his alert to the betrayal, the hypocrisy,
the exploit, and the degradation using a different gang of
corrupt oligarchs. He wrote, "Naive protesters who
believed the propaganda that EU membership offered a better
life are due to lose half of their pension by April. But this
is only the beginning. The corrupt Western media describes
loans as aid. However, the 11 billion Euros that the EU
is offering Kiev
is not aid. It is a loan. Moreover, it comes with many strings,
including Kiev's acceptance of an IMF austerity plan.
The austerity plan will cut social services, funds for education,
layoff government workers, devalue the currency, thus raising
the prices of imports which include Russian gas, therefore
electricity, and open Ukrainian assets to takeover by Western
corporations.

Ukraine's agriculture lands will pass into the hands of American agri-business

In the
former Russian provinces of Eastern Ukraine, Putin's low-key
approach to the strategic threat that Washington
has brought to Russia
has given Washington
a chance to hold onto a major industrial complex that serves
the Russian economy and military. The people themselves
in Eastern Ukraine are in the streets demanding separation
from the unelected government that Washington's coup has imposed in Kiev. Washington, realizing that its incompetence has lost Crimea,
had its Kiev stooges appoint Ukrainian oligarchs, against
whom the Maiden protests were partly directed, to governing
positions in Eastern Ukraine cities.
These oligarchs have their own private militias in addition
to the police and any Ukrainian military units that are still
functioning. The leaders of the protesting Russians are
being arrested and disappeared [which is a Langley specialty]. Washington and its EU puppets, who proclaim
their support for self-determination, are only for self-determination
when it can be orchestrated in their favor. Therefore, Washington is busy at work suppressing self-determination in Eastern
Ukraine." The hypocrisy and criminality is thicker
than mere words can describe. See the Paul Craig Roberts website
essay (CLICK HERE).
The other half of the world is not within view to Roberts,
where the USDollar alternative is being developed. It will
arrive as the Gold Trade Standard.

◄$$$ THE SWISS BANKS FROZE ASSETS AFTER THE YANUKOVYCH REGIME HAD MOVED
$70 BILLION INTO OFF-SHORE ACCOUNTS AND THE STATE COFFERS
WERE LOOTED... THE WEST EMPLOYS THE SAME TACTICS EVERY TIME,
DIRECTLY FROM THE NAZI PLAYBOOK.... IT IS ABOUT NATIONAL THEFTS
OF WEALTH. $$$

Arseniy Yatsenyuk addressed the Ukraine Parliament immediately after the coup
d'etat, which some errantly call an election to the prime
minister post. He told the lawmakers that the exiting Yanukovych
regime had transferred $70 billion into off-shore accounts,
leaving the state coffers empty and robbed, in his words.
A $3 billion loan from China is also unaccounted
for. In Switzerland,
the government said it will publish a decree freezing Yanukovych's
funds the very next day. Banks have a due diligence requirement
regarding Ukrainian money held in the country, it claimed.
The Swiss banks are pretending to keep the Old Ukraine funds
secure, when in fact they are stealing the funds. The principal
off-shore destination in all of Europe is Switzerland. The Swiss Govt gave no indication
of any money deposited in the country. So the US-led forces
steal the money before the coup, during the coup, and after
the coup (central bank gold). The Swiss Modus Operandi
has not changed since before World War II, a primary chapter
in the Nazi Playbook, and an exported practice from the Fascist
Business Model. See the Bloomberg article (CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ UKRAINE HAS IMPOSED CAPITAL CONTROLS, LIMITING
FOREIGN CURRENCY WITHDRAWALS... BANK DATA HAS BEEN CAPTURED,
SENT TO THE BIG EUROPEAN BANKS... THE NATION HAS BEEN GUTTED,
SO THE LEADERS WILL CLOSE THE GATES AFTER DAMAGE DONE. $$$

A consolidation is in progress. The Ukrainian central bank has a plan to bail
out the nation's mostly private banks, all insolvent. It would
provide any required funding but only if they are placed under
open control of the National Bank of Ukraine. In so doing, the big European banks
would be given an efficient way of passing all the banking
details, including asset holdings by the local population.
Consider the coup d'etat an annexation of the country's banking
system by a benevolent predatory Europe
to be complete. The NATO ploy might not work, but the bank
data has been captured. The observers are watching every move
by Western thugs in high office.

The Itar-Tass news has reported that Ukraine's
national bank has imposed temporary limits to withdraw money
from foreign currency deposits. The effective limits are at
the equivalent of US$1500 per day. These are clear capital
controls. When the national currency is crashing at a record
pace to historic lows, the best protection is to limit FX
transactions. The central bank's capital controls do not
touch local currency in Hryvnias. The circulation has adequate
domestic currency, and Ukraine can print it in infinite amounts.
Expect a mindboggling rapid decline in foreign reserves. Expect
massive inflation to come, and continued fast decline in the
Hryvnia exchange rate. The price inflation effect will hit
the public very soon. They will take to the streets by summer.
The counter-coup in Ukraine might take place very quickly, like in
late 2014, when the bankruptcy is total and the economy is
motionless. In Egypt
it took just over 18 months. See the Zero Hedge article (CLICK
HERE).

◄$$$ UKRAINE HAS $23 BILLION IN LOANS TO BIG WESTERN
BANKS... VIEW THE TAKEOVER AS AN INVASIVE CLAIM ON COLLATERAL...
NEWER PIPELINES FROM RUSSIA
BYPASS UKRAINE...
WITNESS FAILED STRATEGY AFTER FAILED STRATEGY BY THE WESTERN
REGIMES. $$$

European banks hold over $23 billion in outstanding loans in Ukraine,
the data according to the Bank for Intl Settlements (BIS).
These big banks are in line to become major losers as the
nation collapses, an absolutely certain event, a Jackass
guarantee. The Italian banks, for instance, have loaned nearly
$6 billion. Ukraine
heavily depends on Russia
for 58% of its gas supply. It cannot easily or quickly diversify
with other second sources. It must continue with Gazprom for
its energy supply, a highly precarious position. The Gulf
nation of Qatar
is a major exporter, but Ukraine
cannot receive shipments of LNG nor delivery arrivals on Qatar
Airways. A transition has been in progress for at least
a decade of time. Despite how Russia exports 66% of its gas to the EU through
transits in Ukraine,
the country is gradually losing its importance as a transit
hub. Alternatives are in progress. Both the newer Nord
Stream and South Stream pipelines bypass Ukraine, based in
elaborate undersea systems. The Nord Stream, finished in 2011,
links Russia with Germany
beneath the Baltic Sea. The South Stream
will pass beneath the Black Sea, expected
to be ready before the end of 2015.

In the global economic picture, the Western Coalition
led by the banker syndicate, supported by the energy firms
and war machine, urgently needs Ukraine
to be out of the Eurasian economic union promoted by the Russia and China. The hidden motive remains to annex
Ukraine into the NATO fold, a delusional goal
which will never come into reality. When the NATO Secretary
General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that an IMF-EU package
for Ukraine would be a major boost for Euro-Atlantic
security, he clinched the motive finally exposed. The
main objective for the West is NATO annexing Ukraine. The United States and its NATO band will not prevent
Ukraine
from serving as a main cog gear to the Eurasian Trade Zone.
Neither the Empire of Military Bases nor the encirclement
of Iran will succeed. The pivot to Asia attempting
to exclude China
in the Trans Pacific Partnership will not succeed. The attempt
to encircle Russia with bases
and missile defense will not succeed. The Middle
East strategy to impose democracy will not succeed. No
USGovt foreign policy inititiatives have succeeded, in a grotesque
display of failure. Their only successes are gold pilferage
and other wealth pillage. Meanwhile, Ukraine
is slouching towards federalization.

The Western Ukraine can go under the Western control, but
the entire Eastern European region is observing the rape and
pillage. The Kiev regime changers will
have no say on autonomous Crimea. The
bonus item is almost humorous. Russia
in the process will save $90 million in annual rent for the
Sevastopol naval base, which until now
was payable to Kiev. Not anymore. The endgame is all but written. Moscow
controls Crimea for free. The energy
giant controllers will direct the US & EU oligarchs and
bankers to control the Western Ukraine
wasteland, certain to see plunder amidst a disastrous exercise
in capitalism. In charge in Kiev
will be a gaggle of Western puppets and oligarchs, with a
heavy sprinkle of Neo-Nazis, surely an uneasy coalition. Watch
Ukraine
collapse before 2014 ends, and a counter-coup begin to marshall forces before 2015. See the Asia Times article (CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ EUROPEAN UNION OFFERED UKRAINE $15 BILLION, BUT AID HINGES ON AN
INTL MONETARY FUND DEAL AND THE USUAL POISON PILL WRAPPED
IN AUSTERITY MEASURES... THE WEST IS TRYING TO PUT ITS HOOKS
IN DEEP, MORE ASSET EXTRACTIONS... THE RECONSTRUCTION WOULD
BE IN RESPONSE TO MUCH HARM CAUSED BY THE USGOVT PROJECT...
THE NEW KIEV REGIME CLAIMS IT NEEDS $35 BILLION. $$$

The European Union offered a larger than expected $15 billion package of aid
to Ukraine at the turn of March, doled out as loans
and grants over the next several years. The EU station
chief Barroso said the assistance would require widespread
reforms and an accord between Ukraine and the Intl
Monetary Fund. The EU has offered a more comprehensive
program, which by coincidence matched the amount Russia
had offered Ukraine
before the Yanukovich regime was dismissed and disbanded.
The package contained all the usual blather about reforms
and budget constraints, which result in fast deterioration.
Within the aid package is EUR 1.6 billion in direct loans
and EUR 1.4 billion in grants, half of which arrive over the
next two years. Beyond, EUR 3 billion will be released from
the European Investment Bank between 2014 and 2016. Another
EU-related institution, the European Bank for Reconstruction
& Development, seeks to provide EUR 5 billion more in
funds. More leveraged funds could be made available from the
Neighborhood Investment Facility, created to invest in projects
in the EU's nearby states.

After taking office late last month in the disorderly criminal fascist coup
d'etat, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk announced
the country needed $35 billion to survive the next two years.
EU officials are currently in Kiev
to help assess its needs. Perhaps the vile bankers in New
York, London, and Switzerland wish for the EU to fund Ukraine, with Euro
Central Bank ready assistance, so that they can steal it.
Twenty cases lie as precedent. See the Reuters article (CLICK
HERE).

## WEAKNESS IN COALITION TOWARD UKRAINE

◄$$$ IN AN ULTIMATE IRONIC TWIST, THE IMF $3 BILLION AID PACKAGE FOR UKRAINE
MIGHT ACTUALLY GO TO RUSSIA AFTER A HOLDOVER IN KIEV, DUE
TO AN OBSCURE CLAUSE IN THE BONDS... IMMEDIATE TECHNICAL DEFAULT
IN UKRAINE
IS NEXT, DUE TO DEBT RATIO VIOLATIONS WITHIN A RUSSIAN LOAN
COVENANT, DEVISED IN LONDON...
RUSSIA WILL HAVE
THE RIGHT TO TAKE THE FUNDS DUE TO DETAILS ON THEIR LOAN PACKAGE...
UKRAINE MIGHT FIND
ITSELF VERY ISOLATED AND BROKEN QUICKLY, WITH NO PROSPECT
OF AID, A GUTTED COLLAPSING NATION... THE US-WEST
TEAM HAVE CAPTURED A SINKING DERELICT VESSEL... PUTIN IS SEVERAL
STEPS AHEAD OF THE WEST, THE TRAP GROWING IN VISIBILITY. $$$

Startlingly, the details on the Russian loan package to Ukraine
are governed by UK
law as the London
crowd wanted to participate. And participate they did. The
disposition of the Ukraine loan is subject
to the exclusive jurisdiction of British courts. An odd clause
in the bonds exists, detectable during a review of the bond
agreement. "Paragraph 3(b) under Covenants on Debt
Ratio: So long as the Notes remain outstanding the Issuer
shall ensure that the volume of the total state debt and state
guaranteed debt should not at any time exceed an amount equal
to 60 percent of the annual nominal gross domestic product
of Ukraine." Since many hedge funds are heavy investors
of Eastern European debt and other securities issuance, the
formal usage of London
jurisdiction is something hedge funds have required in a rather
common practice. In 2011, the Greek bonds issued under English
law held by the hedge funds were paid in full to prevent a
CDS trigger. Some say they acted as off-shore hidden proxies
for Deutsche Bank. Contrast to Greek law bonds where defaulted
bonds were made to undergo a voluntary haircut, and went so
far as to declare it a non-credit event. The debt/GDP ratio
is a killer feature for any other country to lend without
Russian approval, including the IMFund itself. Without Russian
approval, the loan granted must be returned. Russia has Ukraine trapped.

Consider the implications of that critical clause. The moment the West or
the Intl Monetary Fund extends a large loan to Ukraine,
that country will almost certainly be thrust into a position
with debt-to-GDP ratio that exceeds 60%. Then the Russian
loan will be put into default, due to its covenant, which
would give Russia the right to demand immediate repayment.
They could be repaid using the IMF funds! Because the bonds
are governed by British courts, neither Ukraine
nor Russia
can manipulate them. The Ukraine Govt would be hamstrung and
bound, unable to use its newly supplied bailout money. Beyond
any doubt, Putin and the Russians are outthinking the West
by at least three steps in advance. See the NBC News article
(CLICK HERE).

EuroRaj interprets the bond covenant and default likelihood. Based on the sequence
of events, and the strictures imposed by loan covenants, Ukraine has two choices. 1) It can default in
June and cause a sequence of European bank failures, or 2)
It can implicitly hand over the Kiev control
stick with sovereignty to Russia
for $15 billion. He confirmed the bond covenant features,
the benefit of his London experience. A lot of the emerging market
and high yielding credit extension (junk debt, like junk bonds)
of the Eastern European and African variety that are traded
out of London are put under the far more accommodative UK common law. It is not
more advanced, but rather favors the side of the table with
bankers and financial firms. The hedge funds who buy them,
they tend to insist on them. Under a default scenario, the
fund managers believe they are at an advantage with settlement
under English law, rather than local law (like Greece or Ukraine) where it would provide for a higher recovery,
when conditions do go sour. He added some editorial notes
of value, since an experienced observer of the geopolitical
stage from his banker perspective. It follows with my edits.

The clowns presently running Kiev are soon going to be taking a long vacation,
maybe below ground. As for Vladimir Putin, he seems far more
in control than the half-blind Western press indicates. Consider
the line-up of events in the last two to three years, with
done deals indicating Russian successes. Iran
is a done deal, with more Chinese steering. Syria is almost a done deal, the pipeline and
naval port to be secure, but messy. Ukraine will be a done deal, possibly less messy
in future months than people expect. It will fall apart financially
very rapidly, then politically just as fast. Iraq is a work in progress, sure to be a thorn
in the US
side. After the war, Russia
will build the new Iraqi pipeline to Syria. See the PressTV article (CLICK HERE).
Turkey
is next but should be easy to convert, a swing nation of importance.
India is leaning
East, sure to stay on a virtual fence. The Saudis will be
left to the Chinese to manage, in a new subjugation role that
will be full of intrigue during the transition. The Jackass
reminds that Turkey
is as important as Ukraine
in its swing nation role vis-a-vis the Eurasian Trade Zone.
Turkey is the home of the Incirlik Air Force Base,
which has served as a heroin depot under the US/UK/Europe
guise for a few decades. Turkey
sits on the fence as a Moslem state traditionally loyal to
Europe, but in service to the Arab world
in the gold market. The Ottoman Empire once extended to Hungary.
When Ukraine
and Turkey both flip to a devoted
position in the Eurasian Trade Zone, it is game over.

◄$$$ UKGOVT WILL NOT SUPPORT USGOVT SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA...
THE USGOVT WILL AGAIN BE ISOLATED, JUST LIKE IN SYRIA... LONDON DESIRES TO PRESERVE THE RUSSIAN FINANCIAL BUSINESS IN A SEEMING
HYPOCRISY... ANY RUBLE DEMAND FOR ENERGY SHIPMENT (AND OTHER
SHIPMENTS) WILL SABOTAGE THE NEW YORK
AND LONDON FINANCE
SECTOR PROJECTS TO INTERVENE AND MANIPULATE DOWN THE RUBLE
CURRENCY... THE NATO TREATY MIGHT NOT BE A VALID ACCORD, WHEN
APPLIED AS CAUSE FOR MILITARY ACTION IN UKRAINE...
LONDON'S RUSSIAN
LINKAGE WITH THEIR PROMINENT BILLIONAIRES HANGS OVER THE SANCTIONS
DEBATE, EVEN WITH A SPORTS SHADOW. $$$

The Jackass fully expects the UKGovt and Western Europe
leaders will back off and not support the USGovt or USMilitary
much longer. They will support the energy firm participation,
which might (if the West is luck) continue from momentum.
Their support will first be gone on sanctions, then on further
military action. The undercurrent is natural gas and crude
oil supply, a great dependence by these Western nations upon
Russia.
The outcome has already begun to play out, just like in Syria. One must suspect Kremlin phone calls about
cutoff to natgas supply to Britain and European nations. The cutoff would
affect homes and industry. Look for Western European nations
in the future, when challenges become strenuous, to find a
way to abrogate the NATO treaty as illegitimate with Ukraine. It has flimsy standing in a memorandum,
not a high falluting treaty. The United States is on a path of extreme isolation.
To this point, an extremely important piece of information
came forward in London, which did not
make the US controlled press
networks. A leaked document in the UK
indicated that the British would not support sanctions on
Russia. The leaked excerpt from the document is
as brief as it was critically important from a strategic standpoint.
Thanks to HTLetter client DavidD in Ireland.

The UKGovt leak indicates limits of European action on Ukraine
with regard to sanctions solidarity. Their effectiveness of
any sanctions is another matter, likely futile also. The leak
took place in London on Monday March 3rd, when a freelance photographer Steve Back
laid eyes on a classified document being carried by a British
official into a meeting of the country's National Security
Council. It indicated limits to support. One must wonder if
the document was intentionally left in the open. The document
stated how the UK backs EU-level visa restrictions and travel
bans on Russian officials, and supports deployment of OSCE
and/or United Nations monitors in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine,
but not EU monitors. Next the key part. It added that "Britain does not support, for now, trade sanctions
& or to close London's
financial centre to Russians." The information reflects
a formal agreement by EU foreign ministers in Brussels
the same day on targeted measures, but not a full court press.
Within the document indicated a clear position that British
PM David Cameron will not be willing to risk damage to the
British trade or financial interests with respect to Russia.
The OSCE is the Organization for Security & Co-operation
in Europe.

The spurious NATO treaty has come under further focus. As preliminary, Poland will not receive any NATO support beyond
verbal reassurances, even though the nation has complained
that the crisis threatens Polish security. They neighbor Ukraine. The UK is one of the EU's top
foreign policy powers. It has a special role on Ukraine because it signed, along with Russia, Ukraine,
and the United States,
the so-called Budapest Memorandum in 1994,
which obliges it to protect Ukraine's
territorial integrity. However, a very big gray area of
obscurity exists. To begin with, this agreement might not
even qualify as a treaty. It is more like a hand shake at
a dinner party. Ukraine
might not be assigned for protection from a US-led coup d'etat
against a pro-Russian government in Kiev.
The USMilitary appears to be called to protect the borders
of Ukraine from an attack directed by the USGovt's
own security agencies at the CIA, using its Langley devoted team of mercenaries hired by Blackstone and deploying
other foreign mercenaries. This is complicated, but the Jackass
believes the NATO treaty couched with the Budapest Memorandum
might not be a valid accord to apply in this particular ugly
thorny devious case. Let's watch the scrutiny process, when
conditions go really sour. See the EU Observer article (CLICK
HERE).

The British newspapers have affectionately used the terms Londongrad and Moscow
on the Thames to describe the special social and economic
impact Russians have had on Britain
and its capital city. In fact, Soviet-born billionaires occupy
three of the top five slots in the Sunday Times list of wealthiest
people. They are buyers of trophy assets such as 100 million
Pound (=US$170 mn) mansions, soccer clubs, and newspapers
such as the Evening Standard. One of London's most visible Russian oligarchs, Roman Abramovich, spent 59
million Pounds to acquire the Chelsea Football Club in 2003.
Since taking control of the club, he has spent 713 million
Pounds on players since then, according to the Daily Mail.
Abramovich bought a mansion in Kensington
Palace Gardens for 90 million Pounds. The
story goes much further. More Russians have received special
Tier-1 investor visas than citizens of any other country since
the visas were introduced in 2008, Home Office data shows.
The special visa is given upon investing at least one million
Pounds in British assets. Since that year, the influx has
been a boon to sectors in real estate and luxury goods, in
addition to the financial and professional services industries.

Prime Minister Cameron has warned Moscow it will pay significant costs in sanctions.
However, an official document unwittingly exposed to a photographer's
lens suggested London opposes trade sanctions and shutting its financial capital to
Russians. Ironically, the US-led sanctions could result in
far more risk to Britain.
Ruben Lee is CEO of financial markets consulting firm Oxford
Finance Group. He put it well, saying "We have got
more to lose than the Americans. Kerry is happy to push for
sanctions because it will not cost them as much."Look for the UKGovt to support token measures against
Russia,
while reassuring them of continued good relations. Later,
expect the British to sever all US support for any confrontation
with Russia
in Ukraine.
No British oil company is involved there. See the Reuters
article (CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ USGOVT SECURITY AGENCY IS ACCUSED OF HIRING SNIPERS IN KIEV...
THE MEN CARRIED OUT ORDERS BY THE MAIDAN GROUP, WHICH OPERATED
UNDER USGOVT GUIDANCE... THE ESTONIAN EMBASSY CONFIRMED THE
TAPES AS VALID TRANSLATIONS, FROM A LEAK BY RUSSIA
OF THE TAPED CONVERSATIONS. $$$

Behind the Kiev snipers were sinisiter groups working for the new fascist coalition.
They killed the police and public alike, with an apparent
objective to stir up violence and with amplified chaos. The
Russian NSA is being credited for leaking phone call tapes
to the embassies and the press. The critical revealing Kiev
telephone call was between US Asst Secy State Victoria Nuland
and the US envoy to the Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt. The call revealed the
real puppet masters behind the Maidan Regime. The actual instigators
of the Ukraine
revolution were none other than the developed world superpowers,
led by the United States. Also revealed
were tensions between the US and EU officials over strategies on the overthrow
of the current government. In a strange twist followed by
even stranger twists, the USGovt implicitly confirmed the
recording, showing deep anger at Russia
and for using dirty tricks. Try not to laugh, as an accusation
of dirty tricks came from the side that directed a coup d'etat.
The arrogance of the Obama Admin is exceeding only by their
incompetence.

An additional telephone call recording was leaked, this more shocking and highly
controversial. The call was between the EU foreign affairs
chief Catherine Ashton and Estonian foreign minister Urmas
Paet. It revealed on tape that all those photos of horrifying
deaths of Ukrainians by rooftop snipers during the last days
of the stand-off, were in fact not caused by snipers controlled
by the outgoing Yanukovich. The snipers who shot at both
protesters and police in Kiev were allegedly hired by the Maidan leaders, the fascists installed
by the USGovt. Review the sequence of facts on the ground.
First the USGovt security shadow forces orchestrate the Kiev overthrow. Then the new leaders in the Kiev
government are allegedly found to have fired against their
own people, using the same provocation they used to run Yanukovich
out of the country, which led to the installation of a pro-Western
puppet government. Then came the plunder. Ashton has sternly
refused to investigate, since the pro-Western coalition would
be quickly discredited. The new Ukraine
leadership shot at its own people to fabricate the pretext
under which it rose to power.

The offices at the Estonian Embassy have confirmed the authenticity of the recording,
the translations provided quickly afterwards. The recording
call is between Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and EU foreign
policy chief Catherine Ashton uploaded to the internet for
all the world to see. The Russians can play rough too. Be
sure that many global citizens are not internet savvy, nor
do they trust many internet sources. This betrayal by Maidan
forces will be exposed gradually, with full impact over time.
Many veteran hands suspect the snipers were either Blackwater
mercenaries, or men working closely with the devious scummy
vile contractors from camps funded by George Soros. See the
Zero Hedge article (CLICK HERE)
and the Russia Today article (CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ THE UNITED STATES IS USING THEIR AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST STRATEGY
IN UKRAINE, ACCORDING TO AN EX-NSA OFFICER. $$$

Scott Rickard, former intelligence officer for the NSA, was interviewed by Russia
Today in a surprising exposure of USGovt methods. Richard
also once worked for the USAir Force and the Directorate of
National Intelligence. The United States has established strategic networks
around the world. They are linked to humanitarian organizations,
to fascist organizations, and to mercenary groups who will
conduct their dirty work. He pointed out that when thousands
of Molotov cocktails are tossed, and hidden organizations
are funded for their violent efforts, they operate from NGO
groups, the special non-governmental organizations that are
neither a part of a government nor conventional for-profit
businesses. He claims such groups have been operating in Ukraine for decades. These diverse players have
ties at the highest levels in humanitarian organizations,
and at the lowest end of the food chain in the fascist politico
organizations. He said, "The CIA has operated like
this in South America. They have operated
like this in Africa. They are going to
do this in Ukraine." He indicated
no surprise in the current methods being used. See the Russia
Today article (CLICK HERE).

## UKRAINE ENERGY ANGLE

◄$$$ WESTERN MOTIVES ON UKRAINE THEATER CENTER UPON NATURAL GAS AND THE OBSTRUCTION
OF THE RUSSIAN MONOPOLY... DEVELOPMENT IN WESTERN UKRAINE FOR DISCOVERED GAS FIELDS HAD BEEN HELD BACK DIRECTLY
BY THE KREMLIN... THE ENERGY WAR HAS TURNED HOT... THE SOUTH
STREAM PIPELINE HAS SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN SERVING AS TRANIST
HUB FOR THE SOUTHERN REGION OF EUROPEAN MARKET... NORD STREAM
IS DUE NEXT YEAR. $$$

The Jackass expected the Russian response on Ukraine
to arrive after the Sochi Olympics were completed. The coup
of Kiev, the plunder of Ukraine
gold, the theft of funds by Switzerland,
and annexation of Crimea by Russia,
these are the type of events expected. To be honest, the Jackass
expected the Kremlin to wrest control of Kiev,
but Putin chose a different strategy. Putin laid a trap
for the West to capture the other half of Ukraine, to gut
it, to betray that half as the world watched closely. The
world is observing events rapidly unfold, except for the
sleepy duped gullible Americans, who still watch the major
news networks with wide eyes but maybe growing doubts. One
wonders what proportion of Americans are aware of the natgas
angle in the Ukraine
conflict, a basic element of the struggle almost never reported
in the US, except in a passing byline
comment. The Jackass guesses under 20%, perhaps under 10%.
The Jackass doubts 90% of Americans could pinpoint Ukraine on the map, or even cite its neighboring
countries. They are fed rubbish on the daily news about independence,
liberalized political arena, Russian aggression, even cultural
repression by the eastern neighbor.

Russia supplies 30% of European natural gas needs, of
which 66% pass through the Ukraine pipelines. Russia also supplies 35% of
European crude oil needs. Germany depends upon Russia for
36% of its ngas supply, Italy 27%, and France 23%. The dependence is tremendous, enough
to alter the political balance and actual decision making.
The data is worth repeating, done so in this report. Last
year, when Chevron, Exxon Mobil, and Royal Dutch Shell discovered
huge gas fields in Western Ukraine and Poland,
the contracts for European processing and supply had been
held back by the Kremlin. The Europeans eagerly strive to
develop non-Russian gas sources, to establish an independent
energy supply from the Russian giant Gazprom. With Ukraine
in the NATO fold, or even in the Seven Sister grip, the Europeans
figure they will be better off than in the Russian bearhug.
Yet the fracking development offers only a couple of years
in natgas supply, since depletion is very rapid. So the
war was triggered and a split of Western from Eastern Ukraine is seen as viable and stable for the Western war villain
architects. The EU and US warmongers have used war too much
as a commercial development and infrastructure tool since
911 (see Iraq). The historical, cultural,
and religious ties with Russia are deep and extend for a millennium. Also,
the Crimean naval port will be taken, annexed, and commandeered
by Russia.
The US
exercises great folly to tinker with Russia's
only global warm water port.

To put it succinctly, Ukraine is the passageway for Russian natural gas
pipelines, a major transit point for supplying Western
Europe markets. but also the site of new gas fields discovered.
The new supply will be medium in volume, but short-term in
scope. As the energy war unfolds further, the Eurasian Trade
Zone will take shape, and its means of payments will not be
in USDollars, thus the USGovt sabotage. The Western energy
firms lust for control and full development. See the Prison
Planet Live video on the broader energy war (CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ LAYOUT OF UKRAINE WITH RESPECT TO WESTERN
OIL FIRMS IS CRITICAL FOR UNDERSTANDING THE ENERGY ANGLE AND
MOTIVE... THEY CHOSE WAR, COUP, AND PILFERAGE IN ORDER TO
ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS... NEXT THEY WILL DISTURB OR DESTROY THE
GROUNDWATER SYSTEMS. $$$

Falling into place are hints of who controls the cherished gas fields. The energy
giant firms are Chevron, Shell, and Exxon. One should always
keep in mind that the USGovt and its agencies are in deep
league with the major oil firms. Two recent Ukrainian Govt
appointments are very telling, made quickly by the new fascist
administration put in place by the USGovt thugs. Igor Kolomoisky
is the new head of the Dnipropetrovsk province (called oblast),
where the eastern shale gas lies. Serhiy Taruta is the new
head of the Donetsk province, also in the east where the eastern
shale gas lies. Both men are dual Ukrainian-Israeli citizens.
Both are linked to Rinat Akhmetov, who is the top dog among
the Ukrainian Oligarchs. The Ukrainian Oligarchy is directly
active in the nation's politics, whereas the Russian Oligarchy
is not. This is an enduring point of contention and conflict
between Vladimir Putin and the Kiev
leadership. Consider that Ukraine
might serve as a Russian oligarch playground for the outcasts.
Kolomoisky already had served as a conduit for Azeri oil coming
into Ukraine. The linkage is complete, connecting back
to the Mediterranean. The USGovt piddly
loan guarantee is a direct line for the $1 billion payoff
either to the Ukie Oligarchs or to Gazprom.

Expect that Putin will effectively seal off the remainder of the country's land
from further Western oil firm exploitation. The eastern
provinces contain one location in current production in the
Dnieper Donets Basin, which might be
subject to more potential Russian control via capture. But
the fertile fields are in the western provinces in the Carpathian
Foldbelt, containing up to three times more volume in the
deposits. Watch Putin and Gazprom work to raise the natgas
prices on the open market. They eliminated the discount offered
to their brothers in Ukraine
a few years ago. Doing so was a basic FU to the Ukie Oligarchs
who have double crossed Vladimir
many times. Putin has an ongoing battle with the old oligarchs,
whose political leader was the ousted Boris Yeltsin. The old
nemesis Mikhail Khodorkovsky is a constant thorn to Vladimir
Putin, whom he put in prison, made a public spectacle of,
stripped of his assets, and probably trumped up some charges.

Notice the inflitration of energy firms, like on a war theater map below. ENI
is an energy giant from Italy. Vitol is a Dutch giant.
Royal Dutch Shell is obviously Dutch also, whose deal is worth
$10 billion. The US-based Chevron is among the giants with
a presence, whose deal is worth $25 billion. The US-based
Exxon Mobil presence is more precarious, with Black
Sea claims (not on land), but their deal is worth under $1
billion so far. Any big successes would extend the deal to
much larger scale in the sea. Tiny Cossach Energy is in effect
100s of times smaller than the other giants. It operates across
Eastern Europe, but still is a player. Two gigantic energy basins exist
in the region which extend into Ukraine. Thanks to JohnE in Toronto for some excellent detailed information
on the energy front.

◄$$$ GAZPROM WARNED OF EUROPEAN GAS SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS... THE RUSSIAN
ENERGY GIANT WILL DEVOTE MORE INVESTMENT TO OTHER PIPELINES
AND THEIR LNG FACILITIES, ON PURE BUSINESS GROUNDS... PRECEDENT
EXISTS FOR GAS CUTOFF WHICH WOULD AFFECT EUROPE...
THE KREMLIN IS WILLING TO FOREGO SOME INCOME IN ORDER TO WIN
PIECES ON THE GLOBAL ENERGY CHESSBOARD, NOT WHAT USGOVT ANALYSTS
ANTICIPATED. $$$

The Kremlin vengeance trump card of Gazprom supply cutoff or reduction has been
cited, thus put on the table. Also, the list of Obama Admin
allies is dropping quickly in size. The prepared sanctions
by the USGovt should make some good comedy. The Jackass
first reaction to the Ukraine
coup d'etat and pilferage was for quick Gazprom cutoff in
vengeful retaliation. It seems the Kremlin is building the
case for cutoff, so as to avoid direct geopolitical blame.
If the West wants to control the pipelines, let them be empty,
was my thinking. In very early March, ITAR-TASS reported that
Russian Gazprom warned of action on two fronts. The energy
giant could cancel its supply discount as Ukraine's
overdue payments surpassed $1.5 billion. In addition, due
to simmering political tensions in Ukraine
(as they described), indeed aggravated by inadequate economic
conditions, some disruptions of gas supplies to Europe
could result. By conditions they might mean a diminished ability
for customers to make natgas payments. Hence, the Kremlin
dropped the hammer, and Europe will awaken to grave concerns
over Russia's
next steps in the event that sanctions be applied. Expect
every Western European capital to put pressure on the inept
arrogant aggressive Obama Team, with a goal to avoid Western
Europe natgas cutoff or even reduced pipeline pressures.

In late January, Ukraine petitioned Russia for deferral of payments for gas supplied
in 2013 and in early 2014. Team Putin estimated the Ukraine debt at $2.7 billion
in total, a tad high. At the turn of March, the Gazprom
spokesperson said the giant gas firm could cancel its gas
supply discount for Ukraine, the overdue debt
for gas having reached $1.5 billion. Maybe the Euro Central
Bank and USFed could pony up the money to pay the gas bill,
and the Kremlin would convert it to Gold bullion. The figure
included overdue bills for last year supplies, plus the cost
of current deliveries. The situation on payments was called
worrisome by the Gazprom chief financial officer, Andrei Kruglov.
In doubt was an extension of the current pricing contract.
Fast forward to today.

The Russian gas giant G azprom said on March 4th that it did not rule out possible
disruptions of gas supplies to Europe over Ukraine's
political situation. The Gazprom officials reiterated their
intentions to do their utmost to reduce export risks, playing
the political card as deftly as possible. They announced,
"We will further invest into other export oriented
projects such as South Stream and will enhance our LNG (liquefied
natural gas) production and export capacity. We also increase
our access to underground gas storage facilities in Europe." Sounding like the ever beneficent, CFO Kruglov reminded
the global audience said at the moment Russia had been supplying
gas to Ukraine according to schedule, although the latter
failed to fulfill its debt obligations. The Kiev
gang is painted as a deadbeat customer. The gas giant provided
exactly the real world cover Gazprom needs to cut its supplies
through Ukraine and thus to Europe,
done in carefully crafted steps.

Russian Gazprom has some past precedence for gas cutoff to Ukraine,
the effects felt beyond its borders in Europe.
Russia
still supplies between 25% and 30% of European gas needs,
the transit conduit being Ukraine. In late 2005,
Gazprom said it planned to hike the price it charged Ukraine for natural gas from
$50 to $230 per 1000 cubic meters, an elimination of brotherly
discount.Russia
terminated the heavy price discount, since uneconomic and
without justification as it described. The company cited the
basic desire for a fair market price, in line with other major
customers. Here was the rub. The Kremlin claimed the decision
was unrelated to Ukraine's
increasingly strong ties with the European Union and NATO,
which had been courting the nation for membership (an insane
concept). It no longer regarded the Kiev Team as brothers
clearly, more like turncoats. The Kiev leaders refused to pay up, and on the 1st January 2006, Gazprom
turned off the taps upon failure to come to agreement. The
impact was immediate, felt not just in Ukraine. The country is crossed by a network of
aging Soviet-era pipelines that carry Russian natural gas
to many European Union member states and beyond. Over a quarter
of the EU's total gas needs were met by Russian gas, and some
80% of it came via Ukrainian pipelines back then. The proportion
has been reduced to 66% recently due to other pipelines and
LNG supply routes.

The nations of Austria, France,
Germany,
Hungary, Italy,
and Poland
soon reported reduced gas flow, the pressure in their pipelines
down by 30%. The dumbass consensus in the Western corrupt
corner offices that run the many governments is that Europe's
gas supplies are unlikely to be seriously threatened, since
Putin relies on those revenues. The Gazprom comments have
changed all that poor thought process and anemic strategic
planning. Besides, the Kremlin might be selling a truckload
of USTreasury Bonds every week in compensation, just to raise
cash. Perhaps Gazprom has plans to redirect a large tranch
of natgas to China instead, a better client. Never underestimate
Putin on the chessboard, since he might have plans to ship
natgas by railroad to China.
See the Zero Hedge article (CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ EUROPEAN LEADERS ARE DRAWING UP PLANS TO SEND GAS TO UKRAINE, UNDER
THE CONTINGENCY THAT RUSSIA CUTS OFF SUPPLY... THE REVERSE
CORRIDOR AGREEMENTS ARE BEING EXAMINED... CITED CONTRACT VIOLATION
IS LIKELY NEXT, WHICH COULD FORCE BROAD PIPELINE CUTOFF. $$$

Any reverse flow would likely occur first through Slovakia,
where EU officials are pressing Slovakia
and Ukraine
to quickly sign such contracts. An agreement would permit
gas to be piped in the opposite direction if the emergency
need ever arose. Additional Reverse Flow Corridors could be
introduced through Bulgaria
and Romania,
or possibly through Croatia
and Hungary. It is not clear that
Gazprom is the sole owner of the Ukrainian portion of Western
Siberian (Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod) pipeline. Gazprom is sole
owner of its section in Russia
as well as in Belarus.
Only Gazprom has the pipeline infrastructure to supply natgas
to Ukraine, the monopoly giant
supplier. Although large natgas producers, Qatar and Iran
would have to ship LNG, except that Ukraine has no LNG port facilites. Where applicable,
the Ukrainian operator is bound by contracts with Gazprom,
and reversing the flow would be considered very much outside
the guidelines established by Gazprom. It appears the
EU/US is yet again trying to foment legal disobedience in
Ukraine.
Violation of contracts will give Russia ample grounds to cut off natgas. It might
happen that Gazprom will have to shut off all shipments to
the EU in order for the EU to follow international law. Russia has contracts and law on its side, somthing
the Western press steadily overlooks. See the Guardian article
(CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ RUSSIA'S LARGEST OIL COMPANY ROSNEFT IS ARRANGING
TO PURCHASE UKRAINE'S
ODESSA OIL REFINERY...
AN OLIGARCH WHO FLED HAS LOST HIS ASSET... EXPECT MORE RUSSIAN
ENERGY FIRMS TO GOBBLE UP DISTRESSED UKRAINIAN FIRMS, AND
ASSETS NOT WELL DEFENDED. $$$

The refinery complex as part of the VETEK Group has been secured by Russian
state bank VTB on failure to meet debt service obligations.
The entire region is in chaos, including the corporate and
financial fronts. Rosneft already controls Ukraine's second largest refinery in Lisichansk.
The targeted Odessa
refinery has the capacity to process 70,000 barrels per day
of crude oil per year. It was sold by Russia's
#2 crude producer Lukoil to the VETEK Group of Ukraine last year. Serhiy Kurchenko appears to
be a victim of the chaos. He is owner of VETEK. Even though
a very wealthy man, his wealth grew rapidly under the presidency
of Viktor Yanukovich, who was removed from power last month.
Kurchenko fled Ukraine last month, his assets
lost in the melee.

Kommersant reported an agreement on selling the refinery had been reached last
week and the deal could be closed in the near future. Apparently
Kurchenko had been unable to repay the VTB loan, which enabled
the refinery purchase. He has transferred the asset to the
bank, a done deal of lost asset. The refinery last week said
the plant might suspend work for maintenance in March, well
timed. It also said the plant was processing oil from existing
stocks and did not expect new supply in the near future. Got
that right! See the Reuters article (CLICK HERE).

◄$$$ THE UKRAINE CRISIS ENDANGERS EXXON'S
BLACK SEA GAS DRILLING... THE WESTERN ENERGY FIRMS WILL SEE
NO PROGRESS FOR A WHILE, UNTIL THE CONFUSION DIES DOWN...
THE LONG SHOT RISK IS THE KREMLIN SOON MIGHT SEIZE ALL ENERGY
RIGHTS IN DUE TIME, OR PAYS OUT TO REPURCHASE THE RIGHTS UNDER
NEW LEGAL JURISDICTION FROM THE CRIMEAN PERCH... WATCH FOR
RENEGOTIATED CONTRACTS, EVEN MAYBE SOME JOINT VENTURES. $$$

The annexation of Crimea has caused some thorny legal entanglements,
which likely will result in renegotiation with the Kremlin.
Out the window perhaps went the Black Sea energy deposit drilling
prospects coveted by Exxon Mobil Corp and Eni SpA (of Italy). Perhaps not. The Kremlin
might wish to break the Western energy unity by making cooperative
gestures with Exxon, the biggest of all Western firms. The
confusion is ripe, as doubt exists whether the fascist Maidan
Regime in Kiev will have the power to continue enforcement of oil & gas licenses
in Black Sea waters that lie adjacent
to the disputed region. The Parliament in Crimea already
voted to join the Russian
Federation, but the popular referendum
will be conducted on March 16th. Chris Weafer
at Macro Advisory in Moscow
concluded, "Exxon and Shell are now in a legal limbo. [They pursued an] exploration deal
with a government which may soon no longer have jurisdiction
over the region." A curious battle could ensue if Exxon has platforms in place or under construction,
where Russian energy firms might purchase them at discounted
prices. If the USGovt security agencies attempt to place Stinger
missile sites on the platforms of vessels, then big trouble
will come. Russia would then seize the
platforms and vessels.

Relations might not be as hostile between Exxon and Royal Dutch Shell with respect
to the Kremlin on off-shore rights. But confusion reigns.
Exxon sought the rights to drill the Skifska license off
the Ukraine
coast after discovering the Domino field in 2012 in neighboring
Romania. The deposit is
considered sufficiently large to permit the poor Eastern European
country the prospect of becoming a gas exporter. Exxon Mobil
Senior Vice President Andrew Swiger said in a recent investor
presentation it still remains interested in getting permission
to explore off the Ukraine coast. Finally some
sheer hypocrisy and lying through teeth. The Exxon Mobil Chairman
and CEO Rex Tillerson claimed that Exxon is not choosing sides,
with no political stake in the coup entailing deep dispute.
His claim is as believable as never buying advanced carburator
patents for car engines, and burying them. His claim is as
believable as never having strong USGovt political connections.
His claim is not the least bit credible.

The large energy firms are in league with the USGovt, its security agencies,
and the mercenaries. A Satanic element exists within the major
energy firms, some testimony having come from a Hat Trick
Letter client with Canadian experience that involved a big
firm (early morning ritual meetings accidentally stumbled
upon). Exxon's hands are dirty and bloody. Ukraine
is all about oil and gas. The Western oil companies are
being insincere at best and deceitful at worst, when making
such clearly dubious statements. Let's see if Exxon officials
permit the NSA to bug certain meetings on resolution of contracts.
Established habits are hard to break.

The aggressive efforts in the past few years to
drill the waters off Crimea was part of a wider campaign to
explore for oil & gas in the Black Sea, where fewer than
100 wells have been drilled, according to data compiled by
Bloomberg. For an adequate comparison, note that over 7000
such drill sites exist in the North Sea.
The Black Sea is a relatively virgin
region. As soon as Putin has more formal political and military
control of this sea region, he will assert his ownership over
these assets and bring them under the Rosneft and Gazprom
tent. That is the Jackass expectation. Perhaps a compromise
can come with more joint ventures with Russian firms Rosneft
and Gazprom. See the Bloomberg article (CLICK HERE)
and the Dallas News article (CLICK HERE).